EUGENE, Ore. — On a day dedicated to celebrating 60 years of Oregon softball, with over 50 alumni in attendance, the Ducks put on a show in front of a packed 2,517 fans and gave them a reason to celebrate.
“It was so amazing to have all of our alumni out here and just connect with our fans throughout the entire day,” pitcher Elise Sokolsky said.
“The fans are the reason why I came here,” Oregon head coach Melyssa Lombardi said.
A perfect sunny spring Saturday in Eugene set the scene for another day of “Janesanity” as the No. 13 Oregon Ducks (34-9, 15-2 Big Ten) faced off against Pacific Northwest rivals, the No. 23 Washington Huskies (34-11, 15-2 Big Ten) in front of a packed Jane Sanders Stadium, filled with alumni. Oregon fell behind early, but quickly pulled in front and held onto the lead in style, to take Game 2 in a 5-4 win.
The Huskies started off the game with a home run on the very first batter, coming from Kaycie Burdick, putting Washington ahead early 1-0.
Oregon starting pitcher Lyndsey Grein (1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 K, 1 BB) struggled early after pitching all seven innings in Game 1. The Huskies extended the at-bats, and the glare of the sun allowed Washington to get runners in scoring positions in the first inning. However, the Ducks were able to control the pitch after a mound visit from Lombardi and escape the first inning.
Washington starting pitcher Morgan Reimer (6 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 5 K, 0 BB) was hot early, picking up a strikeout. But Emma Cox continued her dominance after Game 1, sending a moonshot into left field and over the fence to bring Kaylynn Jones and herself home to give the Ducks a 2-1 lead. Stefini Ma’ake kept The Jane on their feet with a solo homer to make it 3-1 Oregon. Reimer struck out Taryn Ho to end the opening inning.
Maddie Milhorn (1 1/3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 K, 1 BB) took over for Grein in the top of the second. A couple of quick outs led to base hits before a flyout caught by Elon Butler ended Washington's at-bat.
Reimer picked up her third strikeout of the game in the bottom of the second, and the Huskies’ defense stayed strong to put an end to the second inning.
Jadyn Glab solo homered into center field in the top of the third to cut the deficit to one, with Oregon ahead 3-2. Ava Carroll and Melody Acevedo both reached base, which meant Lombardi wanted a pitching change.
Elise Sokolsky (4 2/3 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 K, 0 BB) returned to the pitching circle for the first time since Mar. 23rd, and closed out the top of the third inning with a strikeout.
“We’ve been waiting, she’s been waiting,” Lombardi said.
The Ducks couldn’t convert defense to offense, with Washington retiring them one-two-three to end the third inning.
Sokolsky held strong in the top of the fourth, picking up another strikeout. However, Alexis DeBoer homered in left field to tie the game at three apiece.
Oregon couldn’t respond on offense, with Reimer recording her fourth strikeout of the day in the bottom of the fourth.
However, Oregon’s defense continued to play with confidence, with a massive double play to get outs at first and second to go face the minimum in the top of the fifth inning.
“You could just see these guys come together on defense,” Lombardi said. “Everything that you keep seeing in the games this weekend is because of what we’re doing in practice.”
The bottom of the fifth inning brought offensive momentum for the Ducks, with Katie Flannery singling through the left side, before pinch runner Regan Legg took second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a sac fly. Reimer picked up strikeout number five, but the Ducks weren’t silent for long, with Amari Harper bouncing a homer off the top of the scoreboard, and giving Oregon a 5-3 lead.
“For me, power comes from picking good pitches and timing,” Harper said.
Pinch hitter Gabi Toney kicked off the sixth inning with a double, and was brought home after Jade Bubke doubled herself, to make it a 5-4 Ducks lead. However, Bubke was picked off at second after Cox threw a dagger for the final out of the top of the sixth.
Washington did what was needed on the defensive front in the bottom of the sixth inning, picking up three quick outs.
Ayanna Shaw picked up two quick fly outs in the top of the seventh inning to put the Ducks one out away. However, Glab extended the game with a base hit. Carroll hit a ball into right field, and Butler threw it to Flannery in time for the final out to close out the game, and clinch the series against Washington, holding on to a 5-4 win.
Oregon will look for the series sweep against Washington in the closer tomorrow, with first pitch set for 3:00 p.m., as they vie for the conference lead entering the final weeks of the season.
“We’re going to have to throw the kitchen sink and every single thing that we’ve got,” Lombardi said. “That team is not going to lay down, and we don’t expect them to.”