The No. 5 Oregon Ducks softball team faced off against a tough No. 4 Tennessee Lady Volunteers team. Tennessee pulled out a 2-0 victory, aided by opportunistic hitting and masterful pitching. The game was broadcast on a tape delay on MLB Network, which speaks to how highly touted this top-five matchup was. Highlighted in the game was excellent pitching from both sides.
The Ducks started star right-handed pitcher Lyndsey Grein, who began her season the day before with a complete-game no-hitter. Tennessee started its own ace, Karlyn Pickens, who is one of the best pitchers in college softball. The matchup was truly best on best for both teams.
Tennessee jumped on Grein fast, loading the bases with two outs in the first inning before Vols first baseman Emma Clarke drew a bases-loaded walk to plate the first run of the game. Grein struck out the next hitter to get out of trouble.
Grein settled into a little groove with a strikeout in the next two innings. She was also aided by great defense, including a caught stealing and an amazing diving play by the University of California transfer, Elon Butler.
In the bottom of the third, after Ducks shortstop Addison Amaral collected the team's first hit and Ayanna Shaw drew a walk, Oregon was set up with runners on first and second with only one out. With Butler at the plate, she sent a deep fly ball out to right field, but the Vols’ right fielder, Gabby Leach, made the catch. Both runners tagged up, but the trailing runner, Shaw, was thrown out trying to advance to second.
Both pitchers were dealing through the fifth inning. Grein had only allowed one run, collected four strikeouts, while keeping Tennessee hitless. Pickens had only allowed two hits while striking out seven, allowing no runs to the Ducks.
The sixth inning started with a bang as Leach lined a double to center field for the Vols' first hit of the game. Ella Dodge followed that up with a wall-scraping double of her own, scoring Leach from second to bring the lead to 2-0. A ground ball to the left side advanced Dodge to third, but she was stranded after Grein locked in and struck out the next batter.
Pickens silenced the Ducks' bats in the bottom of the inning, utilizing her world-class fastball that was touching 76 mph. After a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh, Oregon made a pitching change to Elise Sokolsky. She got a quick ground out, and a pair of walks bookended another ground out to load the bases with two down. Sokolsky dug deep and struck out Tennessee’s third batter, catcher Ella Morrisson.
The Ducks entered the bottom of the seventh down two runs with the heart of their order due up. After two quick outs, Katie Flannery grounded a ball through the left side, but it was all for naught as Pickens got the next batter to pop out, securing the complete game and the 2-0 win for Tennessee.
Pitching was the story of the game as Pickens outdueled Grein. There were only five hits the entire game for both teams; the Vols were able to capitalize, and that was the difference. Tennessee got revenge for last year's loss at Jane Sanders Stadium. Both teams are World Series hopefuls, so a rematch late in the season would not be surprising.
Up next, the Ducks continue their tournament Sunday, Feb. 8, against Southeastern Louisiana, which is their final game of the weekend. This game was the last of the tournament for Tennessee, who will face Nebraska next weekend, Feb. 13, in the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational.
The Vols end the tournament undefeated, going 5-0 on the weekend, while Oregon will look to get above .500 at 7 a.m. PST on Sunday.