University of Oregon
34-6, 9-2
Arizona State
33-7, 7-4
Six Home Runs Lead Ducks Past Sun Devils 9-1
04/14/18 | Softball
TEMPE, Ariz. - The No. 3 Oregon Ducks (34-6, 9-2) crushed six home runs and Miranda Elish struck out 12 to top the No. 7 Arizona State Sun Devils (33-7, 7-4) to take game two of the series 9-1 on Saturday night.
How it Happened: Neither team got on the board as the Ducks and the Sun Devils went down in order in the first inning. Things started quietly, but it didn't last long.
Gwen Svekis came to the plate to kick off a big second inning. She sent one over the fence on the first pitch for a solo home run to put the Ducks in the lead early. After Mary Iakopo and DJ Sanders were put out, Mia Camuso hit a chopper to shortstop and beat the throw to first base for a two-out single. It was then Lauren Lindvall's turn as she crushed a two-run home run. Shaye Bowden doubled to left field and Jenna Lilley drew the walk, but the inning ended on a grounder to the pitcher. The Sun Devils were again set down in order in the bottom of the second with a leadoff groundout and two more strikeouts from Elish.
Shannon Rhodes flied out and Svekis grounded out in the third inning, but Iakopo send a double down the left field line to keep the Ducks' half of the third inning going. Sanders sent a fly ball just out of the right-fielder's reach to bring home Iakopo with an RBI double, and after a groundout ended the frame, the Ducks finished the third inning with a four-run lead.
Elish continued her dominance in bottom of the third, striking out the first two batters. Arizona State managed their first hit of the game but a flyout ended the inning.
In the fourth, after a groundout from Lindvall and a strikeout from Bowden, Lilley got on base after getting hit by a pitch, but was put out at second on a fielder's choice to end the inning. ASU's Danielle Gibson managed a two-out single in the fourth, but a grounder to Lilley ended the inning.
The Ducks had another big inning in the fifth as Svekis and Iakopo crushed back-to-back home runs to put Oregon up 6-0. ASU made a call to the bullpen and Dale Ryndak came to the circle. Camuso sent a two-out single up the middle but the inning ended after Lindvall struck out.
Sanders made a solid catch in foul territory to get the first out of the fifth, but ASU managed to get on the board with a solo home run by DeNae Chatman. Elish responded with back-to-back strikeouts to end the frame to keep the Ducks' five-run lead.
In the sixth, Mack singled to third base by beating the throw, and April Utecht came in to pinch hit. Utecht smashed a two-run home run to notch the Ducks' fifth home run of the night, which put the score at 8-1.
The Sun Devils recorded another hit, but that was it as Elish notched her ninth and tenth strikeouts to close shut them down.
To kick off the seventh, Oregon tallied its sixth and final home run of the night on a solo blast to left from Sanders. Cherish Burks came in to hit for the Ducks, but was out on a fly ball. A groundout by Bowden closed out the inning, but the Ducks secured an eight-run lead.
Elish shut down the Sun Devils and closed things out with two more strikeouts, putting her total at 12 on the night.
The Long Ball: Oregon's six home runs against the Sun Devils are the most for the Ducks since hitting a program-record eight home runs against No. 19 Washington on March 29, 2015.
In the Circle: Elish improved to 14-1 on the season. She tossed a complete game and recorded 12 strikeouts and no walks on four hits with one run. Elish owns a 0.80 ERA this season with 148 strikeouts and 17 walks. In Oregon's last five games - all against top-10 teams - the Ducks' pitchers have 54 strikeouts in 33 innings with just two walks.
Big Night at the Plate: Svekis went two-for-four with two home runs and two RBIs. Sanders recorded two RBIs on a double and a solo home run, and Iakopo went two-for-four with a home run. Utecht also had two RBIs on her home run, and Lindvall recorded a solo home run.
Up Next: The Ducks look earn the sweep against the Sun Devils tomorrow at 12 p.m. PT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Elish, Miranda (14-1)
L: Macha, Breanna (10-4)
Batting:
2B: Iakopo, Mary 1 ; Sanders, DJ 1 ; Bowden, Shaye 1
HR: Utecht, April 1 ; Svekis, Gwen 2 ; Iakopo, Mary 1 ; Sanders, DJ 1 ; Lindvall, Lauren 1
RBI: Utecht, April 2 ; Svekis, Gwen 2 ; Iakopo, Mary 1 ; Sanders, DJ 2 ; Lindvall, Lauren 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Mack, Alexis 1 ; Utecht, April 1 ; Svekis, Gwen 2 ; Iakopo, Mary 2 ; Sanders, DJ 1 ; Camuso, Mia 1 ; Lindvall, Lauren 1
HBP: Lilley, Jenna 1
Batting:
HR: Chatman, DeNae 1
RBI: Chatman, DeNae 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Chatman, DeNae 1
