Story by: Dylan Reubenking

The 4th-ranked Oregon Ducks softball team won their ninth and tenth consecutive games Saturday, defeating the Utah Utes twice in a double-header at Jane Sanders Stadium. Game one will count toward conference play while the second game will not.

In the first game, the Ducks fell behind early 3-1 as the Utes' offense put up three runs off starting pitcher Samaria Diaz in the third. The Ducks scored a run in the third and another in the fourth to tie the game.

The Utes offense struck again with a second three-run inning in the fifth, forcing Diaz out of the game trailing 6-3. Once again, the Ducks responded with three runs of their own in the fifth to tie the game again 6-6.

Rachel Cid swung at the first pitch she saw in the bottom of the seventh and blasted a line drive over the left field wall, giving the Ducks the 7-6 win.

In the second game, both teams played excellent defense behind great pitching. The Ducks scored a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth, proving to be just enough as Brooke Yanez pitched a complete game shutout in the Ducks' 3-0 victory.

Haley Cruse extended her hitting streak to 12 games, collecting four hits in the two games, including three in the opener.

Terra McGowan shined in Saturday's matinee, going 4-6 with three RBIs and a double. Her defense was arguably more impressive as she gunned down three would-be Utes baserunners.

The Ducks improve to 19-1 and increase their winning streak to 10 games. The #4 team in the country will host the Loyola Marymount Lions for a double-header on Friday starting at 1:00 P.M.