Friday, April 27
Seattle, WA
5:00 PM
University of Oregon
39-7, 13-3
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Washington
41-6, 12-6
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Oregon
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Washington
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Photo by: Ethan Uehara, The Daily
Sanders' Slam Leads Ducks to Extra Innings Win at Washington
04/27/18 | Softball
Photo credit - Ethan Uehara, the Daily at the University of Washington
SEATTLE – Shorstop DJ Sanders crushed a grand slam in the top of the ninth inning and the No. 2 ranked Oregon softball team opened up a series at No. 4 Washington with a 7-2 win in extras.
The Ducks (39-7, 13-3 Pac-12) were 1-for-17 with runners on base until Sanders smashed her second grand slam of the season to straight away center field. Washington had not allowed more than four runs all season before the Ducks tallied seven on Friday - including five in the ninth inning - in the series opener. The loss was Washington first at home this year.
HOW IT HAPPENED: Washington took a 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the third. After a single and a stolen base, Trysten Melhart singled to center to drive in the run. Megan Kleist regrouped in the circle for the Ducks, and the Huskies left runners at second and third. Sanders made a great catch on a line drive to short to end the inning.
Oregon scored twice in the fifth to take the lead. Outfielder Haley Cruse opened the inning with a double off the wall in right center. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. With one out, Lauren Burke came in to pinch hit and rolled a fielder's choice grounder to first, but Cruse drew the attention of the fielder at third and Burke was able to reach safely. Another fielder's choice grounder allowed the tying run to score as Cruse beat a throw home on a Sanders grounder to second base. Gwen Svekis put the Ducks ahead, 2-1, with a sacrifice fly to center.
Washington tied up the game, 2-2, in the bottom of the fifth. The Huskies scored on a two-out wild pitch following a double and a groundout.
With the game tied, both teams had a chance to win it in the seventh. Alexis Mack reached on a fielder's choice and stole second base to put a runner in scoring position, but a pop out ended it. Washington also got a runner to second in the seventh with a two-out single and error. Kleist got a fly out to center to end the inning.
The Ducks also pushed a runner to second in the eighth when Rhodes singled to center and stole second. However, once again, the Ducks left the runner stranded on a flyout to right. For the second straight frame, Washington matched the Ducks with a runner at second on a one-out single and a passed ball. But Kleist picked up her 13th strikeout to end the threat.
Oregon finally came through with runners on base in the ninth and did it in a big way. Lauren Lindvall opened the inning with a single and moved to second on a Cruse walk. Jenna Lilley reached on a throwing error, which allowed Lindvall to score. Mack dropped down a perfect bunt single to load the bases with no outs. That's when Sanders stepped to the plate and crushed a grand slam over the fence in center.
Kleist shut down the Huskies in the bottom of the ninth to give the Ducks the win.
SANDERS SLAMS: This is Sanders' second extra-innings grand slam this season. The senior also belted a grand slam in the eighth inning at Oregon State on March 31 to give the Ducks a 5-1 win.
IN THE CIRCLE: Kleist (16-5) tallied double-digit strikeouts for the ninth time this season and the third time in her last six starts. The junior allowed two runs on eight hits in nine inning with 14 strikeouts and only one walk. The right-hander opened the game with six straight strikeouts.
AT THE PLATE: Rhodes, Mack and Lilley each had two hits to lead the Ducks. Sanders drove in a run on fielder's choice in addition to her grand slam, giving her five RBIs in the win.
STOLEN IN SEATTLE: The Ducks tallied a season-high five stolen bases in the win over Washington. Mack stole three bases, giving her a team-high 19 on the season, while Rhodes stole two.
UP NEXT: The Ducks and Huskies meet again on Saturday at 1 PM on ESPN2.
SEATTLE – Shorstop DJ Sanders crushed a grand slam in the top of the ninth inning and the No. 2 ranked Oregon softball team opened up a series at No. 4 Washington with a 7-2 win in extras.
The Ducks (39-7, 13-3 Pac-12) were 1-for-17 with runners on base until Sanders smashed her second grand slam of the season to straight away center field. Washington had not allowed more than four runs all season before the Ducks tallied seven on Friday - including five in the ninth inning - in the series opener. The loss was Washington first at home this year.
HOW IT HAPPENED: Washington took a 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the third. After a single and a stolen base, Trysten Melhart singled to center to drive in the run. Megan Kleist regrouped in the circle for the Ducks, and the Huskies left runners at second and third. Sanders made a great catch on a line drive to short to end the inning.
Oregon scored twice in the fifth to take the lead. Outfielder Haley Cruse opened the inning with a double off the wall in right center. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. With one out, Lauren Burke came in to pinch hit and rolled a fielder's choice grounder to first, but Cruse drew the attention of the fielder at third and Burke was able to reach safely. Another fielder's choice grounder allowed the tying run to score as Cruse beat a throw home on a Sanders grounder to second base. Gwen Svekis put the Ducks ahead, 2-1, with a sacrifice fly to center.
Washington tied up the game, 2-2, in the bottom of the fifth. The Huskies scored on a two-out wild pitch following a double and a groundout.
With the game tied, both teams had a chance to win it in the seventh. Alexis Mack reached on a fielder's choice and stole second base to put a runner in scoring position, but a pop out ended it. Washington also got a runner to second in the seventh with a two-out single and error. Kleist got a fly out to center to end the inning.
The Ducks also pushed a runner to second in the eighth when Rhodes singled to center and stole second. However, once again, the Ducks left the runner stranded on a flyout to right. For the second straight frame, Washington matched the Ducks with a runner at second on a one-out single and a passed ball. But Kleist picked up her 13th strikeout to end the threat.
Oregon finally came through with runners on base in the ninth and did it in a big way. Lauren Lindvall opened the inning with a single and moved to second on a Cruse walk. Jenna Lilley reached on a throwing error, which allowed Lindvall to score. Mack dropped down a perfect bunt single to load the bases with no outs. That's when Sanders stepped to the plate and crushed a grand slam over the fence in center.
Kleist shut down the Huskies in the bottom of the ninth to give the Ducks the win.
The Seattle Slam, staring senior DJ Sanders. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/JCE9ezgunV
— Oregon Softball (@OregonSB) April 28, 2018
SANDERS SLAMS: This is Sanders' second extra-innings grand slam this season. The senior also belted a grand slam in the eighth inning at Oregon State on March 31 to give the Ducks a 5-1 win.
IN THE CIRCLE: Kleist (16-5) tallied double-digit strikeouts for the ninth time this season and the third time in her last six starts. The junior allowed two runs on eight hits in nine inning with 14 strikeouts and only one walk. The right-hander opened the game with six straight strikeouts.
AT THE PLATE: Rhodes, Mack and Lilley each had two hits to lead the Ducks. Sanders drove in a run on fielder's choice in addition to her grand slam, giving her five RBIs in the win.
STOLEN IN SEATTLE: The Ducks tallied a season-high five stolen bases in the win over Washington. Mack stole three bases, giving her a team-high 19 on the season, while Rhodes stole two.
UP NEXT: The Ducks and Huskies meet again on Saturday at 1 PM on ESPN2.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kleist, Megan (16-5)
L: Alvelo, Taran (21-4)
Batting:
2B: Rhodes, Shannon 1 ; Cruse, Haley 1
HR: Sanders, DJ 1
RBI: Sanders, DJ 5 ; Svekis, Gwen 1
SH: Lilley, Jenna 1
SF: Svekis, Gwen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lilley, Jenna 1 ; Mack, Alexis 2 ; Sanders, DJ 1 ; Lindvall, Lauren 1 ; Cruse, Haley 2
SB: Mack, Alexis 3 ; Rhodes, Shannon 2
CS: Burks, Cherish 1
HBP: Lilley, Jenna 1
Batting:
2B: Bates, Sis 1
RBI: Melhart, Trysten 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bates, Sis 1 ; Atlee, Taryn 1
SB: Atlee, Taryn 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
lf/pr
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
5
Players Mentioned
UT
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
C
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