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OKC Notebook: Ducks Depart For WCWS
05/28/18 | Softball, @GoDucksMoseley
The Oregon softball team left Eugene on Monday morning, on their way to the Women's College World Series for the fourth time in five years.
The Oregon softball team departed for Oklahoma City and the Women's College World Series on Monday, flying high thanks to a chartered aircraft, with spirits still soaring from a dramatic Super Regional comeback.
The Ducks (52-8) headed back to OKC for the fourth time in five years after coming from behind to win a three-game Super Regional series with Kentucky. Oregon clinched the series with a run-rule win Saturday, a day after Miranda Elish dominated in the circle to even the series following an uncharacteristically flat UO performance in the opener.
Sunday provided a full day to catch their breath before traveling to the Midwest. The Ducks will have practice days Tuesday and Wednesday to adjust to the heat and humidity of Oklahoma, before opening WCWS play in the first game of the day Thursday (9 a.m. PT, ESPN).
"We want to refocus and get ready for what's next," senior third baseman and leadoff hitter Jenna Lilley said Monday morning, before boarding a bus outside the Moshofsky Center in Eugene and heading to the airport with her team. "But Saturday was pretty awesome. I'll remember that forever."
Lilley is one of three UO seniors making her third trip to OKC for the World Series. In 2015, she, catcher Gwen Svekis and second baseman Lauren Lindvall were freshmen when Oregon was eliminated in two games, losses to UCLA and Alabama.
"They know what it's about, there's no question," UO coach Mike White said. "I'm excited to see how we perform."
The Ducks missed the WCWS their sophomore year, returning for a 2017 appearance that began with a loss to Washington before two gritty wins to stay alive as one of the final four teams. Oregon ultimately was eliminated by Oklahoma, on the way to the Sooners' second straight championship.
"Every time we get to go is so special and so unique, the path we take to get there," Lilley said. "Each year is its own memory, and I can't wait for this one."
The Ducks got a measure of revenge this season with a 5-0 win over the Sooners at Jane Sanders Stadium, which featured a near no-hitter by junior Megan Kleist. Overall, Oregon went 10-3 against the other seven teams in this year's WCWS field — winning series with Pac-12 rivals UCLA, UW and Arizona State, taking a game each from OU and Georgia, and splitting two with Florida State. The only team in the field the Ducks haven't faced this season is Florida.
So the opposition over the next week-plus should be familiar, as will the Oklahoma City surroundings for Ducks making a return trip.
"The majority of us have been there, so we know what that feeling is like," Svekis said. "It was awesome to feel that and get to celebrate it, but now it's time to get back to business.
"I think we're ready to lock back in and go to work."
Lilley was asked Monday what it would mean to bring a national championship back to Eugene, and had to catch her breath while considering the enormity of it all — what it would take, and the emotions doing so would conjure.
"It would mean everything," she finally said with a smile. "Everything our class has worked for these last four years, and everything our class has been through. Doing it for this community, and this fan base, and the Ducks, it would be really special. And we can do it."
The Ducks open WCWS play Thursday against an Arizona State team from which they took two of three games on the road in the regular season.
But Oregon players said they won't take anything for granted, both because of the Sun Devils' ability and also what experience has taught them about the importance of winning their World Series opener. Oregon is 1-3 in WCWS openers under White, including the loss to Washington last spring.
"We know we fell on our face last year against Washington," White said. "We won't want to have the same thing happen against Arizona State."
As the Ducks experienced in 2017, a loss in the opener means having Friday off, before needing to win twice to stay alive. Oregon did so last year, beating Baylor and LSU to play into Sunday. But they'd much rather win Thursday and again Friday, before a day off Saturday and then entering Sunday with a clean slate.
The Ducks can at least take confidence from having fought to stay alive against Kentucky, after an opening-game loss. The hope is, that was a wake-up call that won't have to be repeated in OKC.
"That loss is going to be very important to us moving forward," Svekis said. "I think we were getting too complacent, and I think getting smacked in the face like that, you saw it this weekend — we played the best we've played in a long time, in the second two games. Hopefully that continues."
White was asked Monday how he'll handle his pitching staff in OKC, and didn't provide a hint as to whether Kleist or Elish might start Thursday.
One thing he does know: He isn't going to be very patient if the starter gets into trouble. He can't afford to, given the stakes, and doesn't need to, given the quality arms that will be in the bullpen behind whoever starts.
"I'm going to have a short leash," White said. "Whoever starts, sometimes it's just not your day. And I don't think I can wait to see what happens. If it's not on, it's not on. I'll take a quick look, try and gauge it as quickly as I can, and make some adjustments quickly if I have to."
The Ducks plan to practice Tuesday at Oklahoma State, and will do so in the morning to begin preparing for Thursday's early start time.
Players will attend a welcome reception Tuesday evening, and then hold study hall. Wednesday brings another practice, at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium complex, as well as media obligations and more study hall.
With a win Thursday, the Ducks would play Friday (4 p.m., ESPN) against the Oklahoma-Washington winner. With a loss Thursday, the Ducks would be off Friday, then play the OU-UW loser on Saturday (9 a.m., ESPN).
The Ducks (52-8) headed back to OKC for the fourth time in five years after coming from behind to win a three-game Super Regional series with Kentucky. Oregon clinched the series with a run-rule win Saturday, a day after Miranda Elish dominated in the circle to even the series following an uncharacteristically flat UO performance in the opener.
Sunday provided a full day to catch their breath before traveling to the Midwest. The Ducks will have practice days Tuesday and Wednesday to adjust to the heat and humidity of Oklahoma, before opening WCWS play in the first game of the day Thursday (9 a.m. PT, ESPN).
"We want to refocus and get ready for what's next," senior third baseman and leadoff hitter Jenna Lilley said Monday morning, before boarding a bus outside the Moshofsky Center in Eugene and heading to the airport with her team. "But Saturday was pretty awesome. I'll remember that forever."
Lilley is one of three UO seniors making her third trip to OKC for the World Series. In 2015, she, catcher Gwen Svekis and second baseman Lauren Lindvall were freshmen when Oregon was eliminated in two games, losses to UCLA and Alabama.
"They know what it's about, there's no question," UO coach Mike White said. "I'm excited to see how we perform."
The Ducks missed the WCWS their sophomore year, returning for a 2017 appearance that began with a loss to Washington before two gritty wins to stay alive as one of the final four teams. Oregon ultimately was eliminated by Oklahoma, on the way to the Sooners' second straight championship.
"Every time we get to go is so special and so unique, the path we take to get there," Lilley said. "Each year is its own memory, and I can't wait for this one."
The Ducks got a measure of revenge this season with a 5-0 win over the Sooners at Jane Sanders Stadium, which featured a near no-hitter by junior Megan Kleist. Overall, Oregon went 10-3 against the other seven teams in this year's WCWS field — winning series with Pac-12 rivals UCLA, UW and Arizona State, taking a game each from OU and Georgia, and splitting two with Florida State. The only team in the field the Ducks haven't faced this season is Florida.
So the opposition over the next week-plus should be familiar, as will the Oklahoma City surroundings for Ducks making a return trip.
"The majority of us have been there, so we know what that feeling is like," Svekis said. "It was awesome to feel that and get to celebrate it, but now it's time to get back to business.
"I think we're ready to lock back in and go to work."
Lilley was asked Monday what it would mean to bring a national championship back to Eugene, and had to catch her breath while considering the enormity of it all — what it would take, and the emotions doing so would conjure.
"It would mean everything," she finally said with a smile. "Everything our class has worked for these last four years, and everything our class has been through. Doing it for this community, and this fan base, and the Ducks, it would be really special. And we can do it."
The Ducks open WCWS play Thursday against an Arizona State team from which they took two of three games on the road in the regular season.
But Oregon players said they won't take anything for granted, both because of the Sun Devils' ability and also what experience has taught them about the importance of winning their World Series opener. Oregon is 1-3 in WCWS openers under White, including the loss to Washington last spring.
"We know we fell on our face last year against Washington," White said. "We won't want to have the same thing happen against Arizona State."
As the Ducks experienced in 2017, a loss in the opener means having Friday off, before needing to win twice to stay alive. Oregon did so last year, beating Baylor and LSU to play into Sunday. But they'd much rather win Thursday and again Friday, before a day off Saturday and then entering Sunday with a clean slate.
The Ducks can at least take confidence from having fought to stay alive against Kentucky, after an opening-game loss. The hope is, that was a wake-up call that won't have to be repeated in OKC.
"That loss is going to be very important to us moving forward," Svekis said. "I think we were getting too complacent, and I think getting smacked in the face like that, you saw it this weekend — we played the best we've played in a long time, in the second two games. Hopefully that continues."
White was asked Monday how he'll handle his pitching staff in OKC, and didn't provide a hint as to whether Kleist or Elish might start Thursday.
One thing he does know: He isn't going to be very patient if the starter gets into trouble. He can't afford to, given the stakes, and doesn't need to, given the quality arms that will be in the bullpen behind whoever starts.
"I'm going to have a short leash," White said. "Whoever starts, sometimes it's just not your day. And I don't think I can wait to see what happens. If it's not on, it's not on. I'll take a quick look, try and gauge it as quickly as I can, and make some adjustments quickly if I have to."
The Ducks plan to practice Tuesday at Oklahoma State, and will do so in the morning to begin preparing for Thursday's early start time.
Players will attend a welcome reception Tuesday evening, and then hold study hall. Wednesday brings another practice, at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium complex, as well as media obligations and more study hall.
With a win Thursday, the Ducks would play Friday (4 p.m., ESPN) against the Oklahoma-Washington winner. With a loss Thursday, the Ducks would be off Friday, then play the OU-UW loser on Saturday (9 a.m., ESPN).
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