No. 17 Oregon Softball concluded their tour of Cathedral City, California on a winning note, earning an easy 6-1 win over UC Santa Barbara on Sunday, February 24 to finish the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic at 4-2. The Ducks used big performances by their vets to slide past the Gauchos, as senior April Utecht went 2-3 with a double, home run and three RBI, junior Haley Cruse reached base four times on a 1-1 day that featured three walks, and sophomore Shaye Bowden ended up 3-4 with two RBI. Jordan Dail also cruised from the circle, going six innings and allowing just one run on four hits, one walk, four strikeouts, and a hit-by-pitch. Fellow sophomore transfer Maddie MacGrandle put up a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh in relief to close out the day.

On the weekend, the Ducks finish 4-2, with wins over New Mexico State, Army, Texas A&M, and the Gauchos to couple with losses versus Bethune-Cookman and No. 23 Texas Tech. Now 11-4, Oregon’s next weekend will prove perhaps the most challenging of their stacked nonconference; the Ducks take on No. 3 Florida, Cal State Fullerton, No. 22 Auburn, Michigan (receiving votes), and No. 7 Tennessee in the Judi Garman Classic. First pitch against the Gators is scheduled for 12 PM next Thursday, February 28 from Fullerton, California.

GAME STORY (by Matt Tyra)

POSTGAME AUDIO

Head Coach Melyssa Lombardi