Oregon softball took their home opener against the Iowa Hawkeyes
, and baseball evened their series against the Michigan Wolverines. Here is all of yesterday’s action.Baseball Game 2 vs. Michigan
Oregon baseball rediscovered how to actually score runs yesterday, and the bats backed up a fine performance on the mound by Collin Clarke to take Game 2 by the score of 5-2 and even the series.
The Oregon bats took a while to connect, and the Wolverines were first on the board in the second inning. Michigan
hit a double, and then a successive double scored their first run of the game.
Meanwhile, the Ducks were still finding no success at the plate.
Once again, Oregon’s pitching was giving the bats every opportunity to step up and take control of the game. Jack Brooks opened up the fifth inning with a solo shot to tie the game, and you could feel the collective sigh of relief in the Oregon dugout.
After Michigan’s initial run, they were not able to gain any traction on Clarke. The Wolverines picked up a sprinkling of singular hits in the middle innings, but could do nothing with them.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Ducks broke the tie when Burke-Lee Mabeus got into scoring position on third base and was sent home by a Ryan Cooney single.
The Ducks put the game away in the next inning. First, Maddox Molony hit a sacrifice bunt to score Drew Smith, but reached base on the fielder’s choice. With two outs, Burke-Lee Mabeus singled to score Molony. Mabeus stole second, Michigan walked Jack Brooks, and Ryan Cooney hit a drive to center field and plated Oregon’s fifth run of the game.
Michigan scored another run in the bottom of the eighth, but the Ducks were Saved By The Bell with Devin Bell’s seventh save of the season.
Collin Clarke put on another excellent performance at the hill for Oregon:
And here is your final line.
Jack Brooks had this to say after the game:
Oregon baseball plays today for the series win. The game is obnoxiously early due to incoming inclement weather, and the Ducks throw the first pitch at 8:00 am PT. The game can be seen on Big Ten Plus.
Softball Game 1 vs. Iowa
After being on the road for the past two series, Oregon softball came back to Eugene for a home stand against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Under yesterday’s sunny skies, the Ducks picked up a run-rule win in their first game, 10-1.
Lyndsey Grein pitched a complete game in the opener, allowing one run off two hits, while walking two and fanning five in her six innings at the circle.
The Hawkeyes trotted out three different pitchers, none of whom could stop the Oregon offensive attack.
Elon Butler was the leadoff hitter for the Ducks, and knocked the ball out of the park on the second pitch sent her way.
Kaylynn Jones reached base on an error, and Amari Harper followed with a home run to center field. The heat was on for Iowa.
The Hawkeyes were only able to muster an RBI single in the third inning for their only score of the game. Grein was able to get comfortable riding a lead, and the defense of the Ducks did their thing as well.
Oregon added four more runs in the fourth inning, taking advantage of an error-prone Iowa defense, and iced the game in the sixth. Leadoff batter Katie Flannery hit a double to open the inning, and crossed the plate when Elyse Kresho followed with a double to send Flannery home. It was Kresho’s first hit as an Oregon Duck, and she was understandably elated with the result. Two batters later, Amari Harper launched her second two-run homer of the game to end this one early.
Here is what head coach Melyssa Lombadi had to say after the rout:
Amari Harper was all smiles after her 4-RBI stint at the plate:
There will be beautiful skies again today when Oregon takes on Iowa in Game 2. First pitch is at 4:00 pm PT and the game can be seen on Big Ten Plus.
