It was a beautiful day in Clearwater, Fla., for some Oregon softball on Friday. On opening day, the Ducks took the win in the first game of their doubleheader against the Missouri Tigers by a final score of 3-0. With a tight game against the No. 12 Clemson Tigers, the No. 5 Oregon was not able to take the win in the second, falling 6-5 to close out opening day.
The first game of the season began with a bit of a slow start, as no points were on the board for either team until the top of the sixth. Finally, the Ducks got the first score with Katie Flannery sacrificing a fly ball to left field for an RBI, enabling Ayanna Shaw to come home. After that first run, the Ducks just kept on going at the top of the seventh. Shaw doubled to left center, getting two RBIs as Addison Amaral scored from second and Kaylynn Jones from first.
Lyndsey Grein got 14 strikeouts for the game, a career high for her. Grein had an amazing seven-inning no-hitter against Missouri. Along with Grein's amazing performance, the Ducks had eight hits against the Tigers, led by three from Jones and a pair from Shaw.
While the first game of Friday’s doubleheader was pretty quiet for this Oregon softball team, the second game definitely brought back the fire that the Ducks are known for against Clemson.
Game 2 began with a band after a faster start for the Ducks. Oregon walked three straight times at the top of the 1st, having the bases loaded with Elon Butler, Rylee McCoy, and Amari Harper. Emma Cox reached on an error, allowing Butler to score, before Amaral hit a sacrifice fly to center field to plate McCoy. Oregon took an early lead with 2-0.
With a great first inning for the Ducks came to a bit of a halt going into the bottom of the second, as Clemson’s Corri Hicks got a home run to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead. The Ducks didn’t let that lead stand for very long, as Harper crushed the first home run of the 2026 season and her first home run as an Oregon Duck, tying the score 3-3 in the top of the third.
Opening up the fourth inning, Shaw got on first base, beating the ball, and Stefni Ma’ake walked immediately after. On a fielder’s choice off a Flannery bunt, Shaw came home to score before Elyse Kresho — Ma’ake’s pinch runner — was plated by a sac fly from Butler, ending the top of the fourth 5-3 with theDucks taking the lead.
Oregon made a pitcher switch to Taylour Spencer, and immediately after being put in, she had back-to-back strikeouts, ending the fourth inning.
Going into the bottom of the sixth, the Ducks were up by two. Clemson’s Mac Pavese hit a homer, making it a tight game between the Ducks and Tigers, with Oregon still in the lead, 5-4. But then back-to-back errors from the Ducks’ defense allowed Taylor Pipkins to tie the score 5-5. Clemson then cashed in another run, taking the lead 6-5, scoring three runs in the sixth inning alone.
The second game for the Ducks was a wild one. Oregon had the lead for most of the game, up until the bottom of the sixth when they let three Tigers across. The Ducks just couldn’t catch up after losing the lead in the bottom of the sixth, with Cox striking out after just three pitches to lead off the top of the seventh. Shaw kept it alive for a little bit, making it to first and taking second, but ultimately it ended with Clemson keeping their lead for the win.
Oregon ended its opening day doubleheader with a win against Missouri, 3-0, and a loss to Clemson, 6-5.
“Love how we came out and fought today,” head coach Melyssa Lombardi said. “These guys were in it, love their energy.”
With the first win and loss of the season, it's looking like an amazing Oregon softball season is ahead.