Emeralds Win; Taggart Addresses Media

Ems Put a Couple Wins in the Column

After losing one Friday evening to the Hillsboro Hops the Eugene Emeralds bounced back for a couple of heavy hitting nights.  On Saturday Em’s hitters combined for 12 hits and racked up 10 runs by the bottom of the third inning to put an early lid on the hops coffin.  Every batter except second baseman Jared Young got a hit and every Emerald managed at least one run.  The Ems added one more run in the bottom of the 8th and took the game 11 to 2.  On Sunday evening it was almost a repeat of Saturday as the Em’s scored early and took the wind out of the Hops sails.  Eugene put up 9 runs and 11 hits as they defeated the Hops 9 – 1 despite making 3 errors on the night.  Northwest league baseball has the night off as they prepare to meet the Pacific League for the minor league all-star game.  First pitch is at 7:05.  The Minor League all-star game will be in Hillsboro.

Dealing with Adversity is Key

The Ducks new Coach Willie Taggart faced off with the media and told reporters that how the team responds to tough times will be the greatest challenge this season.  Taggart  says that when faced with adversity he wants his team not to go back to old habits.

“That’s always a struggle sometimes when you have a losing season you go back to old ways when times get tough.  Some guys will go ‘here we go again’ you know and we can’t be that way we gotta deal with adversity.”

Taggart says he is looking ahead to a great season of Duck Football.