The Senior Day ceremony started before the game even began, with the ceremonial first pitch, or more accurately, first six pitches, coming from family members of the graduating seniors, Staci Chambers, Abby Mulvey, Paige Sinicki, Kai and Kedre Luschar, and Dezianna Patmon. Then, the action really got started, with a game defined by home runs.
The Lion’s Den was packed with fans and action as the No. 3 Oregon Ducks (47-6, 19-3 Big Ten) finished off the regular season against the Michigan State Spartans (16-29, 6-16 Big Ten) with a win, knocking them off by a score of 7-6 and taking the series in the rubber match.
Oregon starting pitcher Lyndsey Grein (2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 K, 1 BB) started off firing on all cylinders with two strikeouts to begin the game in the top of the first inning.
Michigan State starting pitcher Madison Taylor (2 1/3 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 3 K, 4 BB) walked Kai Luschar to start the rubber match. Then, Luschar stole second to make it 52 on the season and 100 for her career. Paige Sinicki sac bunted to advance Luschar to third, but Taylor struck out Kedre Luschar to end the bottom of the inning.
Before the end of the first inning, the UCLA Bruins were upset by Northwestern, giving the Ducks sole ownership of the Big Ten conference regular season title.
It was the top of the second inning in Game 1 of the series that allowed Michigan State to take the lead, and it was the top of the second inning in Game 3 that gave the Spartans the lead. Two runners found their way home, giving the Spartans a 2-0 lead. Grein also picked up two strikeouts, making it three on the day.
Despite putting two runners on base, including one in scoring position, Oregon failed to convert the offense into runs scored. Taylor put two more strikeouts to end the inning, and keep the Spartans in the lead.
The Michigan State offense kept things hot with a solo home run by Sydney Doloszycki in the top of the third inning to make it 3-0 Spartans. After the solo bomb over the left field wall, Oregon head coach Melyssa Lombardi decided it was time for a change at center circle, with Elise Sokolsky (5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 6 K, 1 BB) coming in for Grein, hoping to get the Ducks’ defense going. Get things going she did, with three quick outs, including her first strikeout of the day to end the top of the third inning.
The Ducks’ offense finally got things going in the bottom of the third inning, with Kedre Luschar hitting a single through the left side to bring home her sister and Sinicki. Then, Stefini Ma’ake gave Oregon its first lead of the game off a long bomb, to bring home Rylee McCoy and Emma Cox and make the game 5-3 Oregon.
“I knew that was gone, but I didn’t know how far it went,” Ma’ake said. “That just flew off the bat.”
Michigan State needed a pitching change after giving up the lead, bringing in Carsyn Cassady (3 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 K, 3 BB) to finish the inning.
Sokolsky and the Oregon defense began the top of the fourth inning off hot with two quick outs, including a strikeout, but Jenae Wash stopped the Ducks’ momentum with a solo home run, to cut the deficit to one, with Oregon still leading 5-4.
Oregon couldn’t extend its lead in the bottom of the fourth inning after stranding two runners at first and second.
Michigan State also struggled on offense in the top of the fifth inning, stranding one runner at first, and allowing Sokolsky to strike out two batters, making it four on the day for her.
However, the offensive drought for both teams was broken by Emma Cox hitting a solo dinger off a light post in the bottom of the fifth inning, extending the lead to 6-4 for Oregon.
Sokolsky continued to dominate at the circle, picking up her fifth strikeout and Oregon’s ninth of the day, in the top of the sixth inning. The Spartans continued to struggle on the offensive front, stranding two runners at first and second.
The bottom of the sixth inning saw Sinicki walk to start the inning, and then Kedre Luschar hit a triple through the right side, bringing home Sinicki, making it a 7-4 lead for Oregon.
Michigan State started the top of the seventh inning by not going away without a fight. Doloszycki hit a solo homer into “The Bob” and made it a two-run game, with Oregon still leading 7-5. However, Sokolsky did what she needed to do, notching her sixth strikeout of the day. But the Spartans continued their fight. A solo home run by Collette Allen cut the deficit to one, making it 7-6. However, it was too little, too late. A ground out at first ended the game, giving the Ducks a win, despite a late scare from Michigan State.
The Oregon Ducks are the Big Ten regular-season champions in their first season in the conference.
“As long as we play Oregon softball,” Kedre Luschar said. “We’re good to go.”
The Ducks will now travel to West Lafayette, Indiana, to take on the Big Ten conference tournament as the top seed. Their first game will come against the winner of the duel between Michigan and Wisconsin, with first pitch currently scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thursday on the Big Ten Network.
“We are not done,” head coach Melyssa Lombardi said. “We’re going out on our own terms.”