Ducks Sweep Doubleheader at USF

Thursday, March 1

Tampa, FL

2:30 PM

University of Oregon

14-3

South Florida

7-12

Oregon

USF

03/01/18 | Softball

Box Score Box: #6 Oregon 8, USF 0 (5)

The sixth-ranked Ducks completed a doubleheader sweep of South Florida on Thursday night with an 8-0 run-rule win in five innings

By: Nate Krueger

TAMPA, Fla. - The sixth-ranked Oregon softball team completed a doubleheader sweep of South Florida on Thursday night with an 8-0 run-rule win in five innings at USF Softball Stadium.

The Ducks (14-3) opened the day with a 6-1 win over the Bulls before winning the nightcap, getting their stretch of seven games over four days in Florida off to a strong start.

How it Happened: Sophomore Mia Camuso got the scoring started in the third inning, driving in Jenna Lilley with an RBI single up the middle to give Oregon a 1-0 lead.

The Ducks took advantage of a couple errors by South Florida (7-12) in the fourth inning to plate two more runs and push their lead to 3-0. Lilley singled sharply to right field with two runners on, and an error allowed a run to score on the play. Alexis Mack then followed with an infield single, and another USF error gave Lauren Lindvall a chance to cross the plate.

Oregon moved into run-rule territory with a five-run fifth inning, ignited by a massive solo home run to left-center field by senior Gwen Svekis. DJ Sanders followed with a double to force a pitching change, and freshman Shaye Bowden capped a strong day at the plate with an RBI single. Junior Cherish Burks then took advantage of a pinch-hitting opportunity, lining a three-run homer over the left-field fence to push UO's lead to 8-0.

The Ducks' offense was backed by another strong performance from sophomore Miranda Elish (6-0). Elish held the Bulls scoreless over five innings while allowing just four hits with two strikeouts and a walk.

At the Plate: Bowden led the Ducks in the hit column with a 3-for-3 day while adding an RBI, marking the first multi-hit game of her career. Mack and Lilley each had two hits at the top of the order, and Svekis smacked her sixth home run of the season. Burks' homer was her second pinch-hit, three-run shot of the year.

In the Circle: Elish continued to post zeros in her sixth win of the season. The sophomore has now allowed just one earned run over 37 innings this season while striking out 50 with just five walks, and she remains unbeaten as a collegiate pitcher at 18-0.

Up Next: Oregon will bus to Tallahassee for five games over the next three games in the Unconquered Invitational at Florida State. The No. 6 Ducks will take on the 13th-ranked Seminoles at 12 p.m. PT on Friday before facing Florida Gulf Coast at 2:30 p.m.