On a very sunny and warm Saturday evening at Jane Sanders stadium, the Oregon Ducks(26-15, 5-12 Pac-12) took on rival Washington Huskies(27-11, 8-6 Pac-12) in game 2 of a 3-game set, after UW took game 1 by way of the run rule. This game was a lot more competitive, with the Huskies coming out on top in extras by a score of 9-7.

Oregon pitching got off to a rough start, with Makenna Kliethermes getting the nod and struggling to find the strike zone, walking 5 batters in her 1.1 innings pitched before getting replaced by Stevie Hansen, who would finish the game from there. Hansen finished with 6.2 IP, 3 earned runs, 3 strikeouts, and a walk. And despite coming away with the loss, she was practically unhittable for the middle portion of the game, throwing three straight perfect innings from the 3rd to the 5th, followed by leadoff singles in the 6th and 7th that amounted to nothing. It wasn't till the top of the 8th, when the Huskies managed to get a runner on, allowing SilentRain Espinoza to hit the go-ahead 2-run home run, her first extra base hit of the season.

The Ducks offense had no trouble keeping up with the Huskies onslaught early in the game, scoring 6 runs in the home half of the 1st inning, including the first career grand slam of Tehya Bird's career. Oregon wouldn't find home again until the 4th, when Allee Bunker laced a 2-out RBI single to tie up the game for the Ducks at 7. Unfortunately for Duck fans, Washington pitching would shut down the offense from then on, with a combined 5 innings of no run ball from Husky pitchers Pat Moore and ace Gabbie Plain.

Oregon will have to contend with Plain once again for tomorrow's game against the Huskies, with first pitch scheduled at the Jane at 3 pm.

Postgame Story