Comeback complete. With the crowd on their feet and roaring from the fifth inning onwards at the Lion's Den, Version 7 did what many thought was not possible entering Sunday: beating an incredibly strong and talented Stanford team, not just once, but twice in a row to advance in a stunner.
“Our fans were amazing,” Oregon head coach Melyssa Lombardi said. “Our fans have been amazing all year long.”
After a thrilling victory to force the Eugene Regional tiebreaker, the No. 16 Oregon Ducks (51-8, 19-3 Big Ten) faced off against the Stanford Cardinal (42-13, 16-8 ACC) once again, but this time with higher stakes. One team would advance to the NCAA Super Regionals, and one team’s season would come to a close. The Ducks needed to win twice on Sunday to keep their season alive, and after a run-rule victory earlier in the day, Oregon won the tiebreaker in walkoff style, 10-7 against Stanford to advance in the tournament.
Oregon starting pitcher Lyndsey Grein (2 1/3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 K, 0 BB) started the game with her first strikeout of the game in the top of the first inning. Two singles into right field from Stanford placed runners on first and second. Grein then hit Jade Berry to load the bases. Joie Economides connected for a grand slam to give the Cardinal a 4-0 lead early. Grein closed the inning with her second strikeout of the game.
After a quick first out to start the bottom of the first, Stanford starting pitcher Alyssa Houston (4 1/3 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 2 K, 5 BB) walked Kedre Luschar and then hit Rylee McCoy, to put runners on first and second base. Stefini Ma’ake advanced Luschar to third with a flyout. Paige Sinicki grounded out at first, ending the inning with two left on base.
Oregon’s defense started the top of the second inning strong, with a fly out in left field, followed by a ground out from Sinicki to first. McCoy was hit by a rocket line drive directly in the face at first and received medical attention and was replaced by Remmington Hewitt after coming off the diamond. The final out of the inning came after an extended delay for the injury, as Kedre Luschar caught a pop fly.
“Rylee is in a good spot,” Lombardi said postgame on the injury.
The Ducks started the bottom of the second inning with catcher Emma Cox and Dezianna Patmon being walked, to place runners on first and second for the second inning in a row. After the crowd went silent for the injury, it came roaring to life when Katie Flannery hit an emotional three-run homer, to make it a one-run difference:4-3 Stanford.
River Mahler was hit by a pitch at the top of the third for Stanford, and Berry hit a line drive into right field to place runners on first and second. Economides hit her second home run of the game, bringing home three runs, making it a 7-3 Cardinal game. Coach Lombardi decided it was time for a new pitcher in the circle, bringing in Staci Chambers (4 1/3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 K, 1 BB) for Grein. Chambers was able to escape the inning with her first strikeout of the game, stranding two runners at the corners.
Following Stanford’s defense made two quick outs in the bottom of the third, Sinicki walked and then stole second on a wild pitch, to start some offensive momentum for the Ducks. Cox hit a deep ball out over the center field wall for a two-run home run, cutting the deficit to two, but Stanford still led 7-5.
Kedre Luschar kicked off the defensive momentum in the top of the fourth inning for the Ducks, catching a fly out. A bunt from Mahler backfired, as catcher Cox was able to throw it to first in time for the second out. Replacing Mewitt at first, Ma’ake caught a grounder for the third out of the inning, in six pitches.
Stanford found defensive momentum in the bottom of the fourth inning, aided by a double play, and Houston recorded her first strikeout of the night. The Cardinal forced the Ducks to go three up, three down.
The Ducks and the crowd took a big breath after Economides, the batter responsible for all seven of Stanford’s runs, grounded out at first in the top of the fifth inning. Oregon’s defense made a stop when it counted, only facing three batters in the inning and not allowing a runner on base.
While the stat books will record it as a strikeout for Houston, Kedre Luschar reached first on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth, before stealing second. Ayanna Shaw singled through the left side, and Luschar advanced to third, putting runners on the corners. A wild pitch to Sinicki brought Luschar home to make it 7-6 Stanford after a defensive interference call. Sinicki walked and Zoe Prystajko (2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 K, 1 BB) replaced Houston in the pitching circle. The change at the circle led to a double play, and the Cardinal escaped without any further damage to its lead.
At the top of the sixth inning, Sinicki threw a grounder to Ma’ake for the first out of the inning, which made the crowd roar. Chambers kept the fans on their feet, throwing her second strikeout of the game. Jane Sanders Stadium came alive with excitement as a pop fly put an end to the inning.
As music blared through the speakers, it felt as though the momentum had shifted. Oregon’s home-field advantage became apparent in the bottom of the sixth. Patmon hit a triple right off the bat. Prystajko recorded her first two strikeouts of the game before Kai Luschar bunted to bring Patmon home to tie the game at seven apiece. Kedre Luschar was hit, placing the sisters on first and second. However, a groundout at first put an end to the inning.
Ayanna Shaw delivered a big defensive catch on the warning track to get the first out in the top of the seventh inning for the Ducks. A walk and a single for the Cardinal put runners on first and second base. Oregon got their second out with a grounder to second, putting runners on the corners. Chambers' night came to an end with applause from the crowd. Elise Sokolsky (1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 K, 0 BB) entered the circle to pitch the final out of the inning. A groundout at first put an end to the inning.
Ma’ake started the bottom of the seventh with a pop out, only giving the Ducks two outs to work with. Sinicki found a hole on the right side to advance to first, placing a runner on for Oregon. Sinicki proceeded to steal second and third, after a throwing error from Cardinal catcher Allie Clements. Cox walked to put runners on the corners, but Sinicki represented the winning run. Patmon decided she didn’t just want to hit Sinicki home, she wanted to run the bases herself, hitting a long ball over the net, to win the game 10-7 and complete the comeback.
“What an unbelievable weekend,” Lombardi reflected on the Eugene Regional.
Oregon completed the two-step process needed to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals. The Ducks did everything right on Sunday to rebound and send Stanford packing.
Oregon will host the Liberty Flames, who knocked off the number one overall team, Texas A&M, earlier in the day, in the Super Regionals, starting later this week, in the pursuit to advance to the College World Series and challenge for the National Championship.
“I wasn't hanging up the cleats today,” Patmon said. “We’re not done.”