Gem From Elish Keeps Season Alive

Friday, May 25

Eugene, OR

8:00 PM

University of Oregon

51-8

Kentucky

35-20

Oregon

Kentucky

Photo by: @EricEvansPhoto

05/25/18 | Softball

Box Score Box Score: Oregon 6, Kentucky 1 Supers 2 - Postgame Quotes

Sophomore Miranda Elish allowed only an unearned run in a two-hit complete game, and Lauren Burke continued her breakout postseason as Oregon beat Kentucky to extend their Super Regional series.

By: Rob Moseley

EUGENE, Ore. — In the wake of Thursday's loss in the opening game of Super Regionals, Oregon coach Mike White wondered how his team would respond.

On Friday night, sophomore pitcher Miranda Elish provided an answer: with blazing hot intensity.

Elish threw a complete-game two-hitter against Kentucky, evening the best-of-three series at a game apiece with a 6-1 victory before a sellout crowd of 2,522 fans in Jane Sanders Stadium. The Ducks (51-8) and Wildcats will play the rubber match Saturday at The Jane (6 p.m., ESPN), with a spot in the Women's College World Series on the line.

"Obviously we're happy to still be here," White said. "That was the main goal today. …. You could tell we were fighting for our lives, and that's what we had to do with our backs against the wall. I was really proud of our team, and hopefully tomorrow we can do the same thing."

Freshman Lauren Burke continued her improbable postseason breakout with a bases-loaded single during a four-run fourth inning for the Ducks, and senior Jenna Lilley provided insurance with a two-run double in the sixth. A day after committing a season-high four errors in losing 9-6 on Thursday, the UO defense had just one Friday, though it did contribute to the only run against the otherwise overpowering Elish.

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"Oregon did a great job responding today," Kentucky coach Rachel Lawson said. "I thought their pitcher looked great."

Oregon ace Megan Kleist battled a tight strike zone in Thursday's opener, forcing herself to get too much of the plate and getting battered for a season-high six earned runs. Elish attacked the zone too, one night later, but with a few miles per hour more on her pitches, Kentucky's hot postseason bats finally were silenced.

"She was pounding the zone pretty hard," said Kentucky's Alex Martens, whose three-run homer in the first inning Thursday set the tone, and who drove in the Wildcats' only run Friday. "She was going hard early, getting the first-pitch strike. At the end she went to her changeup more. She was moving it around, mixing it up a lot, and that kept us off-balance."

Elish (23-1) retired the first nine hitters in order for the Ducks, who were the designated visitors for Friday's second game of the series. In the top of the fourth, Oregon sent eight batters to the plate, with Burke clearing the bases on a single (below), and later scoring on a single by Mia Camuso.

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The only downside to the extended inning — one the Ducks were more than happy to accept — was the long stint on the bench for Elish. It may have affected her rhythm, as the leadoff batter in the top of the fourth reached on an infield single. The next hitter also reached, on an error, putting two on with none out.

That's when Elish, who thrives on white-hot intensity, dug deep. Her next pitch, to Kentucky's Abbey Cheek — who hit two home runs Thursday — was clocked at 71 mph. That's equivalent to a 100 mph fastball in baseball.

"Coach White talks about throwing big pitches in big situations," Elish said. "And that was definitely a big situation."

Cheek ended up grounding out to advance the runners, and Martens followed with a sacrifice fly to drive in an unearned run. Those two outs began a string of 10 straight retired by Elish, until a one-out single in the seventh that was followed by a double-play ball to end the game.

In the sort of thing that is only really appreciated by a coach, White said he liked the fact he never had to visit the circle Friday night. Elish has said she can lose focus at times on the mound, or conversely overthrow when she gets too intense; neither happened at any point Friday.

"She was in control of her emotions the whole game," said White, who declined to tip his hand as to which pitcher he plans to start Saturday. "Sometimes I can tell when she gets ramped up, (but) she was in control. I was really proud of her for that."

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If anyone else on the UO roster is close to the zone Elish is occupying of late, it's Burke. A freshman who attended Marist High in Eugene, the outfielder had two pinch-hit home runs during the NCAA Regional weekend, and she added an RBI single in another pinch-hit appearance Thursday.

That compelled White to start her Friday, and she came through yet again. Burke singled to put two on with two out in her first at-bat, in the second inning. That rally went no further, but in the fourth, Burke singled again with the bases loaded, driving in two runs and seeing a third score on an error.

"I love watching her hit," Lilley said. "She's free. I love the way she competes."

Burke's second at-bat was delayed by a pitching change, giving her plenty of time to contemplate the bases-loaded, one-out situation. It might have been a chance for pressure to build, nerves to fray. But as usual, she was completely unfazed.

"She just wants to go swing the bat, and she doesn't overthink things," White said.

Their backs against the wall Friday night, the Ducks upped their game in every facet. One more performance like that, and it's back to OKC for Oregon.