The Oregon Ducks were looking to secure the sweep of the Iowa Hawkeyes to continue to move up the B1G softball standings. After a victory via run rule in Game 1 and an incredible comeback in Game 2 coach Lombardi gave the ball back to Lyndsey Grein to go for the sweep.
Here was the rest of the Oregon lineup for game 3
After Grein would get the Hawkeyes down in order to start the game Oregon was able to strike first thanks to a sac-fly
from Amari Harper to score Kaylynn Jones.
Grein would continue to shut down the Hawkeyes as she only allowed one base runner through the first 3 innings but in the 4th she would need some help from her defense.
With a runner on 1st the Hawkeye batter would hit the ball to left field. Amari Harper picked the ball off the wall, perfectly deliver a throw to start a relay that would catch the Iowa base runner caught between 3rd and home. I have no idea what the Iowa batter was doing on the base paths either as she was watching all of this go down she rounded to go to 3rd but then hesitated. Tarryn Ho would take advantage of her mistake and tag 2 Hawkeyes to induce a double play on a base hit.
In the bottom half of the fourth the Ducks would build upon there lead thanks to Ayanna Shaw’s first home run of the season.
In the 5th inning the Ducks once again were able to take advantage of some Iowa base running mistakes as a grounder was sent back to Grein. The Ducks were able to keep that run off the board but there was still runners on the corners with only one out
A Hawkeye single would score there first run of the game and coach Lombardi decided to turn the ball over to Taylour Spencer to try and limit the damage. Spencer would get the next 2 batters out but a 2nd run came in to score and this game had tightened up again with the Ducks still out in front 3-2.
After the Ducks couldn’t get anything going in there half of the 5th Spencer continued to have a strong relief performance setting down Iowa 1-2-3 in the 6th thanks to a diving grab by Taryn Ho.
In the Oregon half of the 6th the Ducks would add some insurance runs. First thanks to Kaylynn Jones scoring on an errant throw after this triple.
Following that both Emma Cox and Ayanna Shaw were able to reach base, Cox would score a sacrifice from Taryn Ho and Shaw would score on an RBI single from Stefini Ma’ake to make it 6-2 Ducks with only 3 more outs to go in the 7th.
Spencer continued to cruise only allowing one hit but otherwise sitting down all of the other Hawkeye batters to close out the game, secure the 6-2 victory and the series sweep for the Ducks. Her final line in relief was 2 and 2/3 striking out 1 and only allowing 1 hit.
Here is Lombardi post-game.
As well as Ho and Shaw
