By Levi Profitt

The Oregon Ducks (20-10) dropped the final game of their weekend series against UCLA (29-4) Sunday at Jane Sanders Stadium by a score of 6-2. Both teams entered Sunday winning one match apiece in the previous two games of the series. A series win would’ve been big for both teams coming into the series ranked in the top 20 nationally. UCLA eventually pulled it out after scoring three runs in the 7th inning after a long scoreless stalemate since Oregon tied the game in the third inning.

The scoring started in the top of the first when UCLA’s Jordan Woolery smacked an RBI double and Megan Grant had an RBI single to give the Bruins a 2-0 lead. Oregon responded in the 2nd inning with a Vallery Wong RBI single, and then in the third tied it up as Allee Bunker knocked a solo home run over the left field fences at the Jane. As stated before, the Ducks and bruins would remain in a scoring stalemate for three scoreless innings, with good fielding and pitching leading the way for both teams. For Oregon, Stevie Hansen got the start but would only last one inning before Morgan Scott would take over, eventually giving up the game-winning home runs in the 7th inning from UCLA's Maya Brady and Woolery once again. Aaliyah Jordan would also add an RBI single in that inning to get the Bruins to six runs. Scott was given the loss for letting up those runs. For UCLA, Brooke Yanez once again got the start against her former team, but would only survive two innings before being pulled, with Tinsley Taylor replacing Yanez, and Megan Faraimo later replacing Taylor. Faraimo would eventually be given the win for her efforts to close out this one for UCLA.

The loss for Oregon ends a series in which they had a chance to get the win vs. UCLA, a team that has given them lots of trouble in previous seasons. The Ducks will look to get back to their winning ways against in-state rival Oregon State next weekend, with the first game in that series coming on Friday, March 31st at 6pm at Kelly Field in Corvallis.