Oregon's Tanner Smith sets program record for hits
The University of Oregon baseball program offically has a new career leader for base hits.
The Ducks’ fifth-year senior outfielder, Tanner Smith, cracked a second-inning double during Orwgon’s 16-1 win over Northwestern State at PK Park on Friday and etched his name in the record books in the process.
Smith’s hit was the 247th of his Oregon career, marking a modern-era school record. Smith surpassed former Ducks’ infielder Gabe Matthews, who played at UO from 2017-21 and is now in the Los Angeles Angels minor league system.
The double also served as the 55th of Smith’s Oregon career, leaving him just four shy of setting the school record.
“So special. I have an immense amount of gratitude. To think about all of the people that have helped me get to that point. All the coaches, all the players. There have been some unbelievable people that have helped me put a record like that up there and I have to give thanks to everybody that has.”
At the conclusion of last season, Smith was expected by many to enter the Major League Baseball Draft. But he opted to return for his fifth season in Eugene and has been a mainstay in the heart of Oregon’s lineup during the early portion of the 2023 season.
“The guy is a grinder, he was the last guy in the weight room before the game today,” Oregon coach Mark Wasikowski said. “He’s not a guy that says, ‘Well today is a game day I’m not going to lift, I’ll be too tired for the game.’ He actually was the guy that I think set a personal best in the weight room today and he was a guy that was in there last, so for a guy like that to be rewarded with the all-time hit record.
“That goes to a lot of people that have helped him work throughout the years and a lot of teammates that have helped him out as well and he’s just a great kid. I’m happy for him.”
Thus far this season, Smith is hitting a career-best .338 with a .439 on-base percentage and .559 slugging percentage. He has a team-high six doubles, three homers, and 12 RBIs.
On Friday, Smith finished the evening 3-for-4 and launched a home run later in the game.
As a team, Oregon broke the school record for home runs in a single game with six.
“It’s really just that swagger confidence piece. You can just tell when dudes are stepping in the box it’s kind of just a different kind of feel and I think the opposite field power is really just going into the training that we spent with (strength) Coach Darrell (Hunter) and (Jack) Marder on the field and that success and that hard work is paying off.”
