Both the Softball and Baseball teams were in action on Sunday hoping to secure wins to continue to climb the B1G conference standings.
Softball
First up was Softball looking to secure the sweep of B1G bottom dweller Maryland at 8AM Pacific Time. Coach Lombardi went with Lyndsey Grien in the circle. By Grien standards she was fresh as a Daisy for game 3 as she only pitched 8 combined innings on Friday and Saturday allowing 0 runs, 2 hits, and striking out 15.
Here was the full starting lineup:
The Ducks lineup would threaten early, loading the bases with no one out to start the game, and giving Emma Cox a chance to score the games opening run which she was able to do via a Sac-Fly
Sadly that was all the Ducks could muster in the opening inning, nonetheless it gave Grein the lead before she even entered the circle.
Grein would allow 2 base runners in the 1st but then lock in and sit down the next 8 Terrapin batters, 5 via strikeout.
The problem was the Duck bats couldn’t get much going either. In the Top of the 4th the Ducks were able to get 2 base runners on with no one out and then get both runners into scoring position via sac bunt, but then Katie Flannery and Kaylynn Jones would both fly out ending the threat.
After Grein posted another scoreless inning the Ducks would again put runners in scoring position in the 5th and this time Stefini Ma’Ake made sure that none of them would be left on base with a moonshot out to left field.
Maryland would fight back with a small rally of their own in the bottom half to make it 5-2 but the Ducks were then able to regain and add to their lead in 6th thanks to a 3 run line drive to center field from Emma Cox
Grein would shut the door the rest of the way for the complete game and the Ducks were able to take the game 8-2 to secure their 3rd sweep in B1G play and 8th consecutive victory.
Grein’s final line for the weekend ended up being 15 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 25 K
Hear are Lombardi’s thoughts post-game along with a small update on Elise Sokolsky
The Sweep puts the Ducks in 3rd place in the B1G with a record of 13-2 and a massive series at home next week against undefeated in conference Washington
Baseball
While Softball was taking care of business against a team at the bottom of the B1G standings, baseball was playing an extremely pivotal games against a fellow conference title contender in #19 Nebraska
The teams had split the first two games of the series making Sunday the all important rubber match
Oregon’s regular Sunday starter Cal Scolari took the mound and in the first inning Nebraska was able to draw blood with a solo home run to take an early 1-0 lead
In the bottom of the 2nd the Ducks would answer thanks to a leadoff double from Drew Smith followed by an Angel Laya home run
Just as Oregon took the lead Nebraska would have an answer of their own in the Top of the 3rd when Jalen Worthley was able to drive in 2 runs on a bases clearing double. Case Sanderson would follow that up with an RBI single to make it 4-2 Nebraska.
The score would remain 4-2 until the 6th inning thanks to some nice defense from Ryan Cooeny
As well as some very solid relief pitching from Tanner Bradley who took over for Scolari in the 4th and pitched 2 and 1/3 innings of scoreless ball only walking one batter and striking out 3.
In the bottom of the 6th Angel Laya followed up his 2nd inning home run with 2nd bomb on the day to cut the lead to 1
Following that shot the Ducks were able to mount a rally thanks to a Maddox Molony single and Burke Lee Mabeus double to tie the game at 4.
Jack Brooks would keep the momentum rolling with an RBI single to score Mabeus and give the Ducks the lead 5-4.
Miles Gosztola relieved Bradley in the top of the 7th and picked up where he left off with some help from his defense as well.
Bell would take the ball from Gosztola and he was able to cap off a strong day for the Duck Bullpen with 2 scoreless innings striking out 3 to shut Nebraska down and secure the win for the Ducks on Sunday as well as the weekend series. In total the Duck bullpen pitched 5 and 1/3 innings giving up 0 runs and only allowing 5 Cornhusker baserunners.
Of course the story at the plate for the Ducks was Freshmen sensation Angel Laya with his 2 home runs and 3 RBI. Laya’s 2 home runs gives him 11 on the season and the Oregon freshmen record.
Coach Waz Post-Game
With the win the Ducks are now 10-5 in B1G play which puts them in 5th place exactly 1/2 way through conference play. Up next is game 2 of the season series against the Beavers on Tuesday.
