5′ 6″ Oregon Baseball Player Smashes 1st Career HR Using A Wood Bat And His Reaction Was Electric

A view of the batter's box.

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An Oregon player is going viral around the college baseball community after smacking his first career home run over the weekend. The newcomer helped the Ducks complete a four-game sweep of opponent San Diego.

Rikuu Nishida, an infielder from Osaka, Japan, transferred to Eugene this year. Prior, he’d spent a pair of seasons in community college, where he hit .383 and racked up 91 stolen bases.

With the Ducks, he’s hit .250 while swiping seven bags. He’s also struck out just three times through his first 46 plate appearances, a trend that’s carried over from his days at Mt. Hood CC.

But what the 5-foot-6 speedster isn’t known for is his power. On Sunday, Nishida finally got a hold of one.

He smacked his first career homer as a member of the Oregon baseball team, launching a pitch from San Diego starter Morgan Lunceford over the opposite field wall. That first inning bomb helped the Ducks grab an early lead in a 5-1 win.

More impressively, he hit that long ball while using a wooden bat.

It’s odd to see NCAA hitters using wooden bats, but they are approved at the college level, so long as they pass the testing protocols.

Nishida is more comfortable using the pro-style bats, and he decided to make the switch. That move is already paying off, and many believe it could help his outlook for the next level.

One fan wrote, “Honestly it’s super smart for their prospect value if they can have success with a wood bat. It’s a leap from metal to wood. Most of these guys have played in wood bat leagues I’m sure but there’s probably very little film.”

Other baseball fans were quick to comment on the Oregon infielder’s home run, posting replies on social media.

This person said, “A big college homer you can get excited about.”

Another fan commented, “Common Rikuu W.”

While the home run was an impressive feat in its own right, Nishida’s celebration was the icing on the cake. After zipping around the bases, he went absolutely bananas in his return to the dugout.

The second baseman leapt up and down, tossing off his helmet in an electric scene.

With the latest win, the Oregon baseball team improved to 8-3 on the year. Hopefully, this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Rikuu Nishida this season.