Saturday, May 19
Eugene, OR
4:00 PM
University of Oregon
50-7
3
vs
0
Drake
45-12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Oregon
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
3
10
2
Drake
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
0
Photo by: Samuel Marshall/Eric Evans Photography
Third Straight Shutout Puts Ducks Into Supers
05/19/18 | Softball
The Oregon softball team advanced to the NCAA Super Regional round for the ninth year in a row after beating Drake on Saturday, 3-0, to win the Eugene Regional.
EUGENE, Ore. — Two days removed from a four-hit shutout in which she didn't allow a runner in scoring position, the sailing wasn't nearly so smooth for Miranda Elish on Saturday.
Oregon's sophomore co-ace got the ball for the Ducks' potential Eugene Regional clincher against Drake in Jane Sanders Stadium. A UO streak of 26 straight regional wins under Mike White was on the line — and at times looked very much in doubt. The Bulldogs put a runner on third with one out in the second, the first of five straight innings in which they had a runner in scoring position.
Elish bent, but she didn't break. Time and again, she overpowered hitters who had a chance to give Drake the lead. And Oregon's team speed again was an X-factor, as the Ducks used a "scrappy" rally reminiscent of the 2017 team's style to beat the Bulldogs 3-0, remain perfect in nine years of regional play under White, and move on to a Super Regional series next week at The Jane.
In two starts by Elish and a win Friday for Megan Kleist over Drake, Oregon's pair of aces threw 21 shutout innings in the regional, allowing 10 hits and just two walks, with 36 strikeouts.
"They're some tough cookies in the circle," senior catcher Gwen Svekis said. "I'm really proud of them, and the work they've put in."
The Ducks (50-7) will face the winner of the Lexington Regional in Super Regionals. Rain delayed play at Kentucky over the weekend, and it could be as late as Monday before a winner there is determined, with Michigan and Notre Dame also still alive.
A Kentucky win would bring the Wildcats to Eugene for Super Regionals two years in a row.
On Saturday, the Ducks had some margin for error; Drake would have needed to beat Oregon twice to win the regional. The Bulldogs obviously never put the Ducks in a hole, but they sure threatened to do so.
After a 1-2-3 first inning, Elish allowed a leadoff walk in the second. The next hitter attempted to move the runner up with a bunt, popping it over third baseman Jenna Lilley — and into the glove of a diving Elish, who backhanded the ball for an out. But she fell behind 2-0 to the next hitter, and the runner took third on a stolen base and a throwing error.
White made the first of multiple visits on the day to the circle. Then catcher, Svekis, joined her coach and pitcher.
"Miranda tends to get really hyped up," Svekis said later. "That one was all about making sure she was taking it nice and easy, making sure she stayed within herself."
Whatever was said was effective. Elish rallied back to strike out the hitter, and also the next to strand the runner at third.
The designated visiting team Saturday, Oregon provided its pitcher some margin for error in the top of the fifth. Facing Nicole Newman, who was second in the NCAA in ERA during the regular season, the Ducks used two singles and a one-out walk to load the bases. With slap hitter Alexis Mack at the plate, Drake brought an outfielder in as an extra infielder, but Mack slapped a single through the left side anyway, bringing in two runs.
Haley Cruse followed with another single chopped through the infield, scoring Lilley for a 3-0 lead. Newman also started Oregon's 5-0 win over Drake on Friday; she began that game with a 0.61 ERA, and exited Saturday's game having seen her ERA climb to 0.89.
"They're a disciplined team," Newman said. "Getting their bats on those tough pitches usually I can get people to swing and miss on."
Drake (45-12) still had nine outs to work with, and made Elish work for them. With two out in the bottom of the fifth, a single and a walk put two on, before Elish ended the inning on a groundout. The Bulldogs ended up going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position against Elish, with six strikeouts.
The last two of those came in the bottom of the sixth, after an error and a single with one out. Again, White trudged to the circle — this time with sophomore Maggie Balint warming up in the bullpen.
"I think she would have matched up very well," White said of Balint, who would have come in to face Drake's No. 7 hitter. "But Miranda wanted the ball. It was in her eyes. She wanted to finish the thing."
Svekis endorsed staying with Elish. And the sophomore pitcher argued her own case.
"I think I said, 'No, I got this,' " Elish recalled.
"I said, 'OK, show me then,' " White said.
Elish got a strikeout after the visit. Then, she got another to end the inning. She struck out two more to open the seventh, before completing her only other 1-2-3 inning after the first to clinch the game, and the regional.
"You just have to come up with big pitches, really focus on hitting your spots and spinning the ball harder," Elish said. "And my defense had my back the whole time."
Elish wasn't perfect Saturday. But she was dominant when it mattered most, a day after Kleist came within one out of a perfect game.
"I'm extremely fortunate to get to catch those two this weekend," Svekis said. "They made this weekend so fun for me; my whole senior year has been just such a joy."
The fun continues, next weekend in Super Regionals.
Oregon's sophomore co-ace got the ball for the Ducks' potential Eugene Regional clincher against Drake in Jane Sanders Stadium. A UO streak of 26 straight regional wins under Mike White was on the line — and at times looked very much in doubt. The Bulldogs put a runner on third with one out in the second, the first of five straight innings in which they had a runner in scoring position.
Elish bent, but she didn't break. Time and again, she overpowered hitters who had a chance to give Drake the lead. And Oregon's team speed again was an X-factor, as the Ducks used a "scrappy" rally reminiscent of the 2017 team's style to beat the Bulldogs 3-0, remain perfect in nine years of regional play under White, and move on to a Super Regional series next week at The Jane.
In two starts by Elish and a win Friday for Megan Kleist over Drake, Oregon's pair of aces threw 21 shutout innings in the regional, allowing 10 hits and just two walks, with 36 strikeouts.
"They're some tough cookies in the circle," senior catcher Gwen Svekis said. "I'm really proud of them, and the work they've put in."
The Ducks (50-7) will face the winner of the Lexington Regional in Super Regionals. Rain delayed play at Kentucky over the weekend, and it could be as late as Monday before a winner there is determined, with Michigan and Notre Dame also still alive.
A Kentucky win would bring the Wildcats to Eugene for Super Regionals two years in a row.
On Saturday, the Ducks had some margin for error; Drake would have needed to beat Oregon twice to win the regional. The Bulldogs obviously never put the Ducks in a hole, but they sure threatened to do so.
After a 1-2-3 first inning, Elish allowed a leadoff walk in the second. The next hitter attempted to move the runner up with a bunt, popping it over third baseman Jenna Lilley — and into the glove of a diving Elish, who backhanded the ball for an out. But she fell behind 2-0 to the next hitter, and the runner took third on a stolen base and a throwing error.
White made the first of multiple visits on the day to the circle. Then catcher, Svekis, joined her coach and pitcher.
"Miranda tends to get really hyped up," Svekis said later. "That one was all about making sure she was taking it nice and easy, making sure she stayed within herself."
Whatever was said was effective. Elish rallied back to strike out the hitter, and also the next to strand the runner at third.
The designated visiting team Saturday, Oregon provided its pitcher some margin for error in the top of the fifth. Facing Nicole Newman, who was second in the NCAA in ERA during the regular season, the Ducks used two singles and a one-out walk to load the bases. With slap hitter Alexis Mack at the plate, Drake brought an outfielder in as an extra infielder, but Mack slapped a single through the left side anyway, bringing in two runs.
Haley Cruse followed with another single chopped through the infield, scoring Lilley for a 3-0 lead. Newman also started Oregon's 5-0 win over Drake on Friday; she began that game with a 0.61 ERA, and exited Saturday's game having seen her ERA climb to 0.89.
"They're a disciplined team," Newman said. "Getting their bats on those tough pitches usually I can get people to swing and miss on."
Drake (45-12) still had nine outs to work with, and made Elish work for them. With two out in the bottom of the fifth, a single and a walk put two on, before Elish ended the inning on a groundout. The Bulldogs ended up going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position against Elish, with six strikeouts.
The last two of those came in the bottom of the sixth, after an error and a single with one out. Again, White trudged to the circle — this time with sophomore Maggie Balint warming up in the bullpen.
"I think she would have matched up very well," White said of Balint, who would have come in to face Drake's No. 7 hitter. "But Miranda wanted the ball. It was in her eyes. She wanted to finish the thing."
Svekis endorsed staying with Elish. And the sophomore pitcher argued her own case.
"I think I said, 'No, I got this,' " Elish recalled.
"I said, 'OK, show me then,' " White said.
Elish got a strikeout after the visit. Then, she got another to end the inning. She struck out two more to open the seventh, before completing her only other 1-2-3 inning after the first to clinch the game, and the regional.
"You just have to come up with big pitches, really focus on hitting your spots and spinning the ball harder," Elish said. "And my defense had my back the whole time."
Elish wasn't perfect Saturday. But she was dominant when it mattered most, a day after Kleist came within one out of a perfect game.
"I'm extremely fortunate to get to catch those two this weekend," Svekis said. "They made this weekend so fun for me; my whole senior year has been just such a joy."
The fun continues, next weekend in Super Regionals.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Elish, Miranda (22-1)
L: Newman,Nicole (22-5)
Batting:
2B: Iakopo, Mary 1
RBI: Mack, Alexis 2 ; Cruse, Haley 1
SH: Rhodes, Shannon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lilley, Jenna 1 ; Camuso, Mia 1 ; Burks, Cherish 1
Batting:
2B: Maddox,Sarah 1
Base Running:
SB: Ryan,Libby 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballIF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball2024-25 Oregon Softball Intro Video
Thursday, June 12
The Power of Seven.
Thursday, May 29
The Oregon Softball Fan Experience | 2025 NCAA Super Regionals
Monday, May 26
Oregon Softball | NCAA Super Regionals | Postgame - Game 2
Sunday, May 25
