Oregon softball started the 2026 season in stellar fashion against the Missouri Tigers, but came crashing back to earth in a game-two stumble against the Clemson Tigers. Here is how yesterday’s action went down:
Missouri
The Ducks had to wait 40 minutes to begin their first game of 2026 because Missouri’s game against Penn State went to extra innings.
Oregon ace Lyndsey Grein
was outstanding in the season opener yesterday. Grein pitched a shutout against Missouri, striking out 14 with only two walks and no hits.
The Oregon bats were quiet to start the game, with only Kaylynn Jones picking up solo singles in the 2nd and 5th innings. Ayanna Shaw hit a triple in the 6th inning and came home when Katie Flannery followed with a sacrifice fly.
Nurturing a 1-0 lead, the Ducks added two more in the seventh, when Shaw hit a long double to left center that scored Addison Amaral from second base and Jones from first base.
The 3-0 victory was a great start to the 2026 campaign, and finally get some real softball out of the way.
Clemson
Elise Sokolsky started against the Clemson Tigers, and her opening day went less smoothly than Grein’s did. Sokolsky pitched 3.1 innings and allowed 3 hits and 3 runs (all earned) with 4 BB and 4 Ks.
Oregon bats connected right away in the first inning. With the bases loaded, a Clemson error led to Elon Butler crossing the plate. That was followed by Addison Amral hitting a sacrifice fly to make the score 2-0 with two outs. The Ducks could get no more runners across the plate in the inning, but were off to the fast start they were after.
The runs that Sokolski gave up came from a three-run homer by Clemson in the second inning to take the lead, 3-2.
Amari Harper tied the game in the third inning with a solo shot straight over the center field fence. Sokolsky was able to strand two Clemson runners and got out of the third inning with no additional damage.
Oregon added a run with no outs in the fourth inning. They were not able to fully take advantage of a bases-loaded situation with no outs, and could only muster an additional run with Elon Butler’s sacrifice fly to go up 5-3.
After Sokolsky walked a batter in the bottom of the inning, Taylour Spencer came in relief and pitched well to close the inning and keep the 5-3 Oregon lead.
The Ducks would not be able to score for the rest of the game, leaving runners on base in the 5th, 6th, and 7th innings.
Clemson picked up a solo home run early in the 6th inning off Spencer to close within one run, 5-4. Lyndsey Grein was immediately brought in to save the game.
Grein would have been successful were it not for an inexplicable breakdown in the Oregon defense.
First, Kaylynn Jones dropped the out that would have ended the inning, an easy fly ball that she was right under. Then, Clemson scored on the next at-bat when Elon Butler committed an error by also dropping a fly ball. Clemson followed with a single to take the lead. Oregon could not respond, and (literally) dropped their first game of the season, 6-5.
Said head coach Melyssa Lombardi after the game:
“We’re going to have adverse moments throughout the year. We have to understand how to handle those adverse moments and be able to flip the switch. Let it go and get the job done and find a way to win. So we’ll learn from it. We’ll grow from it. It will make us better, but I just hate that that one slipped away.”
The Ducks will have to turn it around, and quickly – they face #21 Liberty at 1:00 pm PT today, followed by #4 Tennessee at 4:00 pm PT.
