Thursday, June 1
Oklahoma City, Okla.
4:00 PM
University of Oregon
52-7
1
vs
3
Washington
49-12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Washington
0
0
1
0
0
0
2
3
4
1
Oregon
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
5
0
Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com
Clutch Hits Elude Ducks In Opener
06/01/17 | Softball
Oregon repeatedly put runners in scoring position but couldn't drive them in during a 3-1 loss to Washington in the WCWS on Thursday.
OKLAHOMA CITY — The formula for manufacturing runs is tried and true.
Get 'em on. Get 'em over. Get 'em in.
On Thursday in their 2017 Women's College World Series opener, the Oregon softball team handled the first two parts just fine. But because the Ducks couldn't execute that critical third element, in a 3-1 loss to Pac-12 rival Washington at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, they'll face a tough road to a national title.
And they'll have a full day to stew about their inability to drive in runs Thursday. The Ducks (52-7) are off Friday, before playing an elimination game Saturday against the loser of Thursday's late game between Oklahoma or Baylor (11:30 a.m. PT, ESPN).
"They made the most of their opportunities," UO coach Mike White said, "and we squandered some of ours. … We were close. We just couldn't quite get it done."
Washington (49-12), which won two of three in Eugene during the regular season, broke open the game with a two-run homer in the seventh off UO starter Megan Kleist (20-4), who to that point was enjoying a solid outing. But the Ducks weren't able to back her offensively, despite having chances.
Oregon stranded eight runners on base, and left a runner in scoring position to end the second, third, fifth, sixth and seventh innings. The Ducks' only run came in the bottom of the seventh, on an RBI groundout by pinch-hitter Madi Bishop.
"We've done a great job all year of, we're not out of it until the last pitch of the last inning," UO junior Gwen Svekis said. "I didn't feel like we were pressing. We just didn't get the clutch hits."
UW starter Taran Alvelo (33-7) worked herself out of trouble on a couple occasions. With runners on first and second in the third, she struck out Oregon's No. 3 hitter, Gwen Svekis. And in the same situation an inning later, Alvelo got Alexis Mack to chase a pitch up high for strike three.
UO senior Sammie Puentes had two chances with a runner on second and two out, but was thrown on out an attempted bunt in the second and grounded out to shortstop with runners on first and second in the sixth. The Ducks also had two runners caught stealing in the fourth.
"We had some mistakes out there, baserunning and a few other things," White said. "… A couple of them were missed signals, and that becomes blame on me, for them not knowing."
Kleist, coming off a career-best outing against Kentucky in Super Regionals, avoided trouble in the first two innings by working down in the zone. The first ball to leave the infield was a leadoff single by Kirstyn Thomas in the third, and she scored on a triple by Sis Bates three batters later.
The damage might have been worse, but trailing baserunner Ali Aguilar was thrown out at home when Lauren Lindvall made a fabulous relay throw to the catcher Svekis for the out.
The Huskies didn't get another run into scoring position until the seventh, when Thomas belted a two-run homer to dead center for a 3-0 lead.
Now, the Ducks have a day off to try and fix their mistakes, before returning to action Saturday looking to avoid their second straight two-and-out WCWS appearance. To reach the best-of-three championship series that begins Monday, Oregon will have to win twice Saturday and twice more Sunday.
"We weren't aggressive at the right times," Udria said after Thursday's loss. "We waited a little too long to get going and put pressure on them. I'd like to see us come out Saturday ready to go."
Get 'em on. Get 'em over. Get 'em in.
On Thursday in their 2017 Women's College World Series opener, the Oregon softball team handled the first two parts just fine. But because the Ducks couldn't execute that critical third element, in a 3-1 loss to Pac-12 rival Washington at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, they'll face a tough road to a national title.
And they'll have a full day to stew about their inability to drive in runs Thursday. The Ducks (52-7) are off Friday, before playing an elimination game Saturday against the loser of Thursday's late game between Oklahoma or Baylor (11:30 a.m. PT, ESPN).
"They made the most of their opportunities," UO coach Mike White said, "and we squandered some of ours. … We were close. We just couldn't quite get it done."
Washington (49-12), which won two of three in Eugene during the regular season, broke open the game with a two-run homer in the seventh off UO starter Megan Kleist (20-4), who to that point was enjoying a solid outing. But the Ducks weren't able to back her offensively, despite having chances.
Oregon stranded eight runners on base, and left a runner in scoring position to end the second, third, fifth, sixth and seventh innings. The Ducks' only run came in the bottom of the seventh, on an RBI groundout by pinch-hitter Madi Bishop.
"We've done a great job all year of, we're not out of it until the last pitch of the last inning," UO junior Gwen Svekis said. "I didn't feel like we were pressing. We just didn't get the clutch hits."
UW starter Taran Alvelo (33-7) worked herself out of trouble on a couple occasions. With runners on first and second in the third, she struck out Oregon's No. 3 hitter, Gwen Svekis. And in the same situation an inning later, Alvelo got Alexis Mack to chase a pitch up high for strike three.
UO senior Sammie Puentes had two chances with a runner on second and two out, but was thrown on out an attempted bunt in the second and grounded out to shortstop with runners on first and second in the sixth. The Ducks also had two runners caught stealing in the fourth.
"We had some mistakes out there, baserunning and a few other things," White said. "… A couple of them were missed signals, and that becomes blame on me, for them not knowing."
Kleist, coming off a career-best outing against Kentucky in Super Regionals, avoided trouble in the first two innings by working down in the zone. The first ball to leave the infield was a leadoff single by Kirstyn Thomas in the third, and she scored on a triple by Sis Bates three batters later.
The damage might have been worse, but trailing baserunner Ali Aguilar was thrown out at home when Lauren Lindvall made a fabulous relay throw to the catcher Svekis for the out.
The Huskies didn't get another run into scoring position until the seventh, when Thomas belted a two-run homer to dead center for a 3-0 lead.
Now, the Ducks have a day off to try and fix their mistakes, before returning to action Saturday looking to avoid their second straight two-and-out WCWS appearance. To reach the best-of-three championship series that begins Monday, Oregon will have to win twice Saturday and twice more Sunday.
"We weren't aggressive at the right times," Udria said after Thursday's loss. "We waited a little too long to get going and put pressure on them. I'd like to see us come out Saturday ready to go."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Alvelo (33-7)
L: Kleist, Megan (20-4)
Batting:
3B: Bates 1
HR: Thomas 1
RBI: Bates 1 ; Thomas 2
SH: Burdick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Melhart 1 ; Thomas 2
Batting:
2B: Lindvall, Lauren 1
RBI: Bishop, Madi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cruse, Haley 1
CS: Rhodes, Shannon 1 ; Camuso, Mia 1
HBP: Rhodes, Shannon 1 ; Lilley, Jenna 2
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C
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