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EUGENE, Ore. — Right fielder Angel Laya’s third home run of the year contributed to a three-run fifth inning, and the Oregon Ducks (16–3, 4–1 Big Ten) took care of business with a 5–1 win over the Indiana Hoosiers (7–11, 1–4 Big Ten) at PK Park on Saturday afternoon.

Laya, who finished the game 2-for-2 with the home run and a pair of walks, scored third baseman Drew Smith, who reached base after working a nine-pitch walk. Smith, who leads the Ducks in batting average, also left the yard, hitting his seventh home run of the year in the second inning.

“He conducts really good at-bats and has the ability to put a good swing on that lefty,” Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski said. “That lefty hadn’t given up a home run all year, and Angel got him.”

Second baseman Ryan Cooney, who finished 2-for-5, gave the Ducks the lead in the third with a solo home run and drove in the Ducks’ fifth run on an infield single in the fourth. Cooney has four hits over the first…

EUGENE, Ore. — Winners of two straight contests to close out non-conference play, the No. 19 Oregon Ducks (19-7, 1-0 Big Ten) hosted the unranked Penn State Nittany Lions (19-7, 0-1 Big Ten) on Friday night for the first of a three-game set to kick off Big Ten play. These two teams hadn’t met since May 2022, in which Oregon won handily, 12-4. 

The Ducks won 8-2, largely due to their five home runs in the game — their most in nearly a year — while going back-to-back twice in the same game for the first time in recorded program history. Senior utility player Amari Harper contributed to both sets of back-to-back homers, while Elon Butler had two home runs of her own.

“It’s what I’ve been waiting for,” head coach Melissa Lombardi remarked after the game. “You can see that they’re starting to feed each other a little bit more. I see that all the time, so I’m just excited that everybody else is getting to see it too.”

Senior Lyndsey Grein got the nod for Oregon in…

EUGENE, Ore. — Second baseman Ryan Cooney went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, including a sacrifice fly to take the lead in the seventh, and the Oregon Ducks (15–3, 3–1 Big Ten) beat the Indiana Hoosiers 3-2 in the series opener (7–10, 1–3 Big Ten) at PK Park on Friday evening.

The Ducks tied the game in the inning prior as shortstop Maddox Molony hit his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot off the banners in left.

“That’s probably the farthest ball I’ve hit in my life,” Molony said. “I was looking for a fastball up, and that’s what he gave me.”

Will Sanford tossed 6 ⅔ innings and allowed only two runs on three hits while striking out double-digit batters (10) with 111 total pitches. His start ended in a no-decision despite the impressive effort.

“If he’s throwing into the seventh inning every start, I like our chances,” Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski said. “When you go 6 ⅔ and strike out ten — I thought he pitched exceptionally well.”  …

EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon (13-3) came back home to PK Park after their series in Purdue and beat the Xavier Musketeers (6-11) 10-0 Tuesday afternoon, thanks to a rainy five-run second inning.

Oregon hosted the Musketeers on Tuesday in what was the start of their final series before their first Big Ten home games. The Ducks looked to start off strong, and after a shaky first inning, things started to pop off in the second. 

As the rain started to fall in PK, so did the hits, and for Oregon, when it rains, it pours. This was affirmed when Jax Gimenez finished off a five-hit inning by clearing the centerfield wall for a grand slam on just the second home run of his career. 

“I hit behind [Ryan] Cooney and got the rest of them behind me, so it helps when you’re surrounded by those guys,” Gimenez said when asked about his grand slam. “When we do our job, we’re really good, but definitely never hurts to come up with the bases loaded, and I can finish.” 

College baseball season always has turning points. For the Oregon Ducks, that moment often arises before conference play begins. Non-conference games build momentum and confidence, allowing teams to see what is working, but conference matchups are where games truly matter. If Oregon wants to have a chance for the top in the conference standings, it has to be able to have consistency throughout the whole season.

In their first season in the Big Ten last year, the Ducks made an immediate statement, finishing as conference champions. Oregon went 20-8 in non-conference play and 22-8 in the Big Ten. Early in Oregon’s season, it typically shows parts of what it’s capable of. 

Some games show their explosive offense, with runs coming from throughout the lineup, such as their 18-1 victory over the Youngstown State Penguins early in non-conference play. Other games showcase their defensive play — like when freshman Angel Laya robbed a hitter of a home run — or dominant…

EUGENE, Ore. — When fans talk about what makes a softball team successful, the conversation usually revolves around powerful hitters and pitchers. Home runs and high-scoring games tend to take the spotlight. However, so far this season, for the Oregon Ducks, their success may rely heavily on their defense. 

During the 2025 season, Oregon built most of its success around a powerful offense. The Ducks were known for their ability to score quickly, relying on timely hitting, extra-base hits, and big innings that overwhelmed opponents. Many of their wins came from explosive offensive performances, as the lineup consistently produced runs throughout the game. In matchups against teams like Illinois and UCLA last season, the Ducks jumped ahead early, scoring in the first inning and maintaining high-scoring totals throughout the game. That strategy showed just how heavily the team relied on offense to carry them through the season. 

Defense is a fundamental part…

EUGENE, Ore. — A five-run first inning helped the No. 18 Oregon Ducks (18–7) rebound from a loss on Saturday and defeat the Nevada Wolf Pack (16–9) 7–3 at Jane Sanders Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

RBIs from Kaylynn Jones, Rylee McCoy, Emma Cox, and Katie Flannery allowed the Ducks to go through the entire batting order in the first and chase Nevada right-hander Hailey McLean from the game without recording an out.

“I love our lineup, our team is great, I have confidence in every single player one through nine,” McCoy, who plated two runs, said. “I think it's great being a hitter and knowing if I don’t get out and do my job, I have full faith and trust in the people behind me.”

First baseman Stefini Ma’ake plated another run with a single to center in the second inning, scoring right fielder Elon Butler from third. Ma’ake finished 1-for-4, and the Ducks bounced back after dropping their first matchup with the Wolf Pack on Saturday, 8–5, and rounded out the Jane…

The No. 18 Oregon Ducks (18–6) had their nine-game winning streak snapped on Saturday afternoon against the Nevada Wolf Pack, dropping the first of two games by a final score of 8–5.

The Ducks fell behind 5–1 early on, but managed to crawl back into it with a four-run third inning. However, Nevada was able to bounce back with a three-piece of its own in the top of the fourth.

Oregon’s Kaylynn Jones and Amari Harper were able to stay hot, with Jones going 2-for-4 with a single and double, and Harper finishing 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs. However, one big name went quite well at the plate, and it seemingly played a huge role in the team's performance.

Right fielder Elon Butler finished the game 0-for-1 with three walks. While she reached base three times, her 13-game hit streak was snapped at the hands of the Wolf Pack. Butler, a senior right-handed hitter, led the Ducks' offense in batting average, hitting .466 to start the season.

When the slug in Butler’s…

EUGENE, Ore. — The sun was shining bright on the second day of the Jane Sanders Classic as the Oregon Ducks came off two wins to start off the tournament, beating Oregon State 8-3 and Sacramento State 7-6. The Ducks fell short in their first game against Nevada, 8-5, but took the win against Sacramento State 2-1 in a back-and-forth defensive battle. 

Game 1: Nevada 8, Oregon 5

Shortstop Taryn Ho started the game with an impressive catch. The ball rolled out of her glove, but she managed to hold on and recorded the first out of the game.

In the top of the second, starting pitcher Elise Sokolsky made a throwing error to first base, which allowed hitter Hannah Di Genova to reach. After a double by Talia Tretton, Nevada had two runners in scoring position. Both runners scored when Haylee Engelbrecht singled up the middle, giving Nevada the first runs of the game. After a quick circle visit from head coach Melyssa Lombardi, Sokolsky recovered and…

EUGENE, Ore. — The No. 18 Oregon Ducks opened the Jane Sanders Classic with a pair of wins against the Oregon State Beavers and the Sacramento State Hornets on Friday afternoon at Jane Sanders Stadium.

Game 1: Oregon 8, Oregon State 3

Left fielder Amari Harper went 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, and four RBIs, helping the Ducks (17–6) overcome an early deficit at home and extend their winning streak to eight games with an 8–3 win over the Oregon State Beavers (9–15).

The Ducks found themselves trailing early after Beaver second baseman, Jaeya Butler, roped a double, and found herself at third after a fielding error by shortstop Taryn Ho. Right fielder Morgan Howey drove in a pair with a two-run home run.

The Ducks have now beaten their in-state rivals twice in as many days, as they defeated the Beavers 11–3 on Wednesday in Corvallis.

Oregon right-hander Elise Sokolsky (3–1) rebounded from a shaky start by settling in nicely,…