EUGENE, Ore. — Excited Duck fans filled Jane Sanders Stadium as Oregon Softball hosted its first tournament of the season — heading into day two of the Oregon Classic. After sweeping both games on day one, the Ducks hoped to beat Stetson again after defeating them 10-1 in the first meeting, and did just that with a 4-1 victory. After a quick break, they beat Samford 8-0, ending the game in the fifth inning to improve their record at home to 4-0.
Game 1: Oregon 4, Stetson 1
Junior Taylour Spencer stepped into the circle for the Ducks in the first inning, making her first appearance at The Jane this season. After recording two quick outs and appearing ready to end the inning, Nicole Edmiaston launched a home run to right field, putting the first run on the board as her teammates crowded the plate to celebrate.
“We’re going to lose balls over the fence. I don’t want to lose them, but we're going to, but I’ll take a solo bomb any day,” head coach Melissa Lombardi said of Spencer. “I love her response. I think she’s gritty on the mound and I appreciate her competitiveness.”
The Ducks didn’t allow Stetson to hold that momentum for long. Mirroring the Hatters’ two-out rally, Elon Butler, one of the tournament’s MVPs from day one, scoring three runs with five hits, blasted her second home run of the weekend to left field at The Jane, tying the game at 1-1 in the first inning.
With Butler at the plate again in the bottom of the third, Ayanna Shaw was on first with two outs already in the inning. On the second pitch she saw, Butler took the opportunity, driving an RBI double that allowed Shaw to score and give the Ducks the lead. After already advancing to third on a wild pitch, Butler attempted a double steal but was caught trying to take home, ending the inning 2-1.
After back-to-back singles from Braiesey Rosa and Emma Cox in the fourth inning, the Ducks inserted two courtesy runners. However, a ground ball off the bat of Addison Amaral allowed Stetson to turn a double play, ending the inning with no runs scored.
After Kaylynn Jones flew out on a deep ball that had the crowd rising in anticipation of a home run, Shaw tripled to center field, allowing Katie Flannery to score. Shaw later raced home on a fielder’s choice at second, giving the Ducks a three-run lead by the end of the fifth inning.
Elise Sokolsky relieved Spencer in the sixth inning, with Oregon having allowed just two hits through the six. Heading into the top of the seventh, Sokolsky looked to close out the game and limit any late momentum.
Pinch hitter Gabby David entered the game for Gia Napoli, marking her first appearance against the Ducks after not playing in their earlier matchup. A groundout to first secured the final out, sealing Oregon’s third win of the tournament with a 4-1 victory.
Game 2: Oregon 8, Samford 0
Following a scoreless first inning, the starting pitcher for Game 2, Sokolsky, began to struggle with her command in the second, prompting Lombardi to visit the circle for the pitching staff’s first of the tournament. After the brief meeting, Sokolsky settled in and recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the top of the second with no runs on the board.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Ducks loaded the bases with no outs and appeared ready to break through a scoreless game. However, they came away empty-handed after a double play that included a forceout at home and a groundout at first.
The Ducks finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third when Shaw scored on a sacrifice fly from Jones. The next batter, Butler, doubled to right-center to keep the momentum going. With a full count, Cox battled Phillips through a 16-pitch at-bat, fouling off 12 pitches and energizing both the crowd and the dugout, but ultimately flew out to left field to end the inning.
With runners on first and second in the bottom of the fourth, Rylee McCoy doubled, allowing Taryn Ho to score for the Ducks. Moments later, the Ducks again loaded the bases with no outs, but the Bulldogs recorded a double play on a fly out and a throw home to prevent another run.
Threatening to repeat the missed opportunity from the second inning, Jones instead drove a ball out of the park for a three-run home run, the second of her career, to extend the Ducks’ lead to 5-0.
“We work hard in the weight room to have those balls go, so I think just sticking to my process and my plan and not worrying about hitting it over because when we do that, it doesn’t go over,” Jones said of her home run.
As a light rain began to fall in the fifth inning, Samford threatened to get on the board with two runners in scoring position. Senior pitcher Lyndsey Grein relieved Sokolsky in an effort to record the final out without allowing a run, and she delivered by striking out the last batter of the inning.
For the third time in the game, the Ducks had bases loaded once again as Jones got walked to bring McCoy home for a run. Butler, just like day one, walked it off as Shaw and Flannery headed home to get the Ducks the win in the fifth inning.
Butler dominated the entire tournament and had three hits with two RBIs against Samford. When asked about Butler, Lombardi said, “She thinks she’s going to beat anybody, doesn’t matter who is on the mound, she just knows she's going to beat them.”
Oregon is undefeated at home so far in the season after winning its last four games in the tournament.
“I think these last two days there’s been moments where you can see our offense and defense just really gelling back and forth, and when we get to that point, that’s where we really get lethal,” Lombardi said.
What's Next?
The Ducks will play one more game to end the tournament on Sunday, February 29, against Samford.