Ducks Rout Bradley, Improve to 4-0

Saturday, February 9

Tempe, AZ

4:00 PM

University of Oregon

4-0

Bradley

1-3

Bradley

Oregon

02/09/19 | Softball

Box Score Box: Oregon 13, Bradley 3

By: Nate Krueger

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Oregon softball team earned its second win of the day and fourth of opening weekend on Saturday night, run-ruling Bradley by a score of 13-3 in five innings at the Tempe Sports Complex.

The Ducks scored four runs in the first inning, two in both the second and third and five in the fourth to support starting pitcher Maddie MacGrandle and improve to 4-0 to start the season under new coach Melyssa Lombardi. Oregon opened the day with a 6-1 win over Missouri.

The Ducks will look to cap an undefeated weekend at the Kajikawa Classic against Seattle U on Sunday at 8 a.m. PT on Pac-12 Networks.

How it Happened: Bradley (1-3) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning as MacGrandle worked through some control issues, scoring its first run on four walks before adding two on a two-run single.

The Ducks picked up their pitcher right away in the bottom of the first, scoring four runs to take the lead for good. Rachel Cid singled with two runners on and a Bradley error allowed Oregon's first run to score, and Shaye Bowden followed with a sacrifice fly. Cherish Burks then stole second and the Bradley throw sailed into the outfield to score a run and tie the game, and April Utecht laced an RBI single up the middle to put the Ducks ahead.

Cid continued her impressive start to her freshman season in the second, crushing a two-run home run to right-center field with two outs and an 0-2 count. Lexi Wagner drove in a run in the third with a sacrifice fly after a single by Burks and a pair of wild pitches, and junior walk-on Bailey Cook ripped an RBI single up the middle for her first career hit.

The Ducks blew things open in the fourth with five runs on five hits and two more Bradley errors. Utecht, Wagner and Cid all plated runs with RBI singles, another run scored on a Braves' error and Haley Cruse picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice.

MacGrandle began to settle in after a rocky opening inning, holding the Braves scoreless over the next four frames to earn her first win as a Duck. The sophomore left-hander retired the side in order in the fifth to secure the victory, striking out the final two batters.

At the Plate: Cid went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and her third home run in four games to lead the Ducks, and Bunker, Burks and Utecht all notched two hits apiece. Utecht and Wagner both drove in a pair of runs, and Cruse, Bowden and Cook finished with one RBI each.

In the Circle: MacGrandle (1-0) struggled with her command, issuing eight walks, but also struck out 10 batters while allowing only three hits.

What it Means: The Ducks have now outscored their opponents 45-14 through their first four games under Lombardi, drawing 31 total walks while striking out just 14 times. They will aim for a 5-0 start to the new era of Oregon softball on Sunday against a Seattle U team that is coming off a 6-4 loss to Pac-12 rival Stanford.