As the sun set on Jane Sanders Stadium, the stars lit up the field, and both teams fought to keep their seasons alive in the Eugene Regional elimination game. In a rematch of the opening game of the Eugene Regional, the No. 16 Oregon Ducks (49-8, 19-3 Big Ten) looked to rebound, after a disastrous game versus Stanford earlier in the day, against the Weber State Wildcats (29-32, 8-7 Big Sky) with elimination on the line. Oregon came into the game with something to prove and its season on the line, and took care of business 9-1 over the Wildcats.

“I love how we answered back,” Oregon head coach Melyssa Lombardi said. “First game was a tough game, but to reset and get after it and answer the second game… it's about continuing the fight.”

Weber State starting pitcher RJ Parra (1 1/3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 0 K, 2 BB) started the game by walking Kai Luschar and Rylee McCoy. Kedre Luschar singled into left field and brought her sister home to take the early 1-0 lead. Oregon left the top of the first inning with two runners left on base.

Weber State found some offensive momentum early in the bottom of the first inning, picking up two doubles that brought a runner home to tie the game up at one apiece. Oregon starting pitcher Lyndsey Grein (1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K, 1 BB) found some momentum herself, picking up her first two strikeouts of the game to get out of the inning with two Wildcats left on base.

Kaylynn Jones got things moving in the top of the second with a base hit into left field. Katie Flannery kept the ball rolling, or more accurately, flying into The Bob to bring home two runs to put the Ducks back in front 3-1 with one out.

Weber State needed a pitching change, bringing in Jayci Finch (1 2/3 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB) after Oregon’s two-run homer. The pitching change didn’t stop Oregon’s offensive momentum, as Kai Luschar singled, but the Wildcats were able to escape without any further damage.

The bottom of the second inning saw a pitching change for the Ducks, as they brought in Elise Sokolsky (6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 K, 5 BB) to relieve Grein. Sokolsky found her rhythm quickly, striking out her first batter of the game and putting a quick end to the inning.

Ducks catcher Emma Cox found a patch of ground between three Wildcats to reach first base at the top of the third. Stefini Ma’ake followed it up with a single down the left field line to put two runners on base with one out. Finch struck out Dezianna Patmon to tally her first strikeout of the game, but Oregon’s offensive power continued with Jones hitting a single to load the bases for Flannery. This time, Flannery flied out to center field, ending the inning with three runners left on base.

The bottom of the third inning brought Sokolsky her second strikeout of the game. Weber State drew two walks, but couldn’t convert any to runs, with Oregon putting an end to the inning with a foul out.

Weber State brought out Raina Navarro (0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 0 K, 1 BB) for Finch in the center circle at the top of the fourth inning. After Kai Luschar drew a walk and stole second, Paige Sinicki doubled down the left field foul line, bringing Luschar home to make it a 4-1 Ducks lead. Taking an almost identical play, McCoy doubled to bring Sinicki home, extending Oregon’s lead to 5-1.

The second run of the inning brought out Brooke Merrill (2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 K, 0 BB) to pitch for the Wildcats. But, the pitching change didn’t change anything for Oregon’s power hitting, as Kedre Luschar hit one deep into the bleachers in center field to clear the bases and make it a 7-1 Oregon game. Merrill got out of the jam, picking up her first two strikeouts of the game and putting an end to the inning.

Sokolsky notched her third punchout of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Weber State got two runners on base, but failed to add on any runs, keeping the Ducks’ lead at six.

As the clock ticked past nine thirty at night, Oregon continued its long day with a bunt from Kai Luschar to make it to first base at the top of the fifth. Sinicki hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Luschar to second and into scoring position. McCoy hit a grounder, advancing Luschar one more base, putting her just sixty feet from home plate. Kedre Luschar doubled to bring her sister home for the second time this game, and made it an 8-1 lead for the Ducks. Weber State put an end to the inning with a groundout at first.

Weber State continued its offensive struggles at the bottom of the fifth inning, going three up and three down. The dominant performance from Oregon continued on the defensive front.

Weber State put Cali McCraw (1 2/3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 K, 1 BB) into the circle, the fifth pitcher used by the Wildcats in the game. Oregon needed one run in the top of the sixth to apply the run rule heading into the bottom of the inning. Patmon singled through the left side, and Jones bunted to put runners on two bases. A sacrifice fly from Flannery advanced the runners to second and third, putting them both in scoring position. But, the Wildcats got out of the inning without a run coming home, protecting the game from ending early.

Kai Luschar made two consecutive catches for outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Hoping to spark something offensively for Weber State, Sammy Gallegos was walked by Sokolsky. But, Sinicki made a ground out to put an end to the inning.

Entering the top of the seventh with a commanding lead, Oregon kicked off the inning with Sinicki tripling. McCoy grounded out at first, but Sinicki made it home to extend the lead to eight, and made it a 9-1 Ducks game. With two outs on the board, McCraw was replaced by Joslynn Veltien (1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB) in the center circle. Veltien immediately put a strikeout on the board, giving the Wildcats’ dugout something to cheer about, as they escaped the inning.

Standing just three outs away from keeping their season alive and advancing to the regional championship, Oregon needed three quick outs. Sokolsky added a strikeout to her tally in the bottom of the seventh inning, making it four in the game. A ground out to first ended a long day of softball at the Lion’s Den.

Oregon will take on Stanford again tomorrow in the regional championship. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., and a berth to the NCAA Super Regionals is on the line. With the Regionals being a double elimination format, if the Ducks win the first game against Stanford, a second game will be held 35 minutes after the conclusion of the first match to determine the Eugene Regional champion.

“We’re not going to get caught up in two games tomorrow,” head coach Lombardi said. “We’ll get caught up in one pitch at a time.”