No. 1 UCLA Evens Series

Saturday, April 13

Los Angeles, CA

7:00 PM

University of Oregon

17-20, 2-9

UCLA

36-2, 10-1

Oregon

UCLA

Photo by: Samuel Marshall

04/13/19 | Softball

Box Score Box: #1 UCLA 8, Oregon 3

By: Nate Krueger

LOS ANGELES – Oregon softball's offense did more damage against reigning national player of year Rachel Garcia than any other team this season, but No. 1 UCLA scored three runs in the third and five in the fourth to win, 8-3, and even the three-game series on Saturday night at Easton Stadium.

The Ducks (17-20, 2-9 Pac-12), who handed the top-ranked Bruins their first Pac-12 loss on Friday night, will go for the series win on Sunday afternoon in the rubber match (1 p.m., ESPN2).

How it Happened: Oregon jumped on Garcia, the nation's leader in ERA, in the first inning, squaring the ball up numerous times to bring in a run on three hits. Haley Cruse and Jasmine Sievers got things started with singles, and Allee Bunker gave Oregon a 1-0 lead on an RBI single. The Ducks would have added more if not for a terrific leaping catch at the wall in center field on a drive off the bat of April Utecht.

UO starter Jordan Dail, who was stellar in a 12-strikeout performance on Friday, set down the first six Bruins she faced, but an error came back to hurt the Ducks in the third. UCLA put runners on second and third with one out on a pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt, and an error brought in the Bruins' first run of the game. UCLA followed with a two-run single to take a 3-1 lead.

UCLA opened the fourth inning with a pair of walks, and another Oregon error on a one-out sacrifice bunt allowed a run to score and opened the door for the five-run inning. The Bruins finished the frame with five runs on two hits and two UO errors to open up an 8-3 lead.

The Ducks didn't back down though as they continued to attack against Garcia. After a hit-by-pitch and another Cruse single in the fifth, Sievers drove one to the right-field corner for a two-out, two-run double to bring Oregon within five, 8-3. Oregon loaded the bases in the sixth on a double by Bunker and a pair of walks, but were unable to cash in. Another hit by Sievers and a walk put two on with one out in the seventh, but Garcia retired the next two batters to end the game and even the series.

At the Plate: Sievers accounted for half of Oregon's eight hits in a huge night at the plate, finishing a perfect 4-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Cruse and Bunker each went 2-for-4, with Bunker recording an RBI and a double. Oregon's three earned runs and eight hits were the most allowed all season by Garcia, who had not given up more than one earned run in a game entering Saturday.

In the Circle: Dail (14-9) allowed five runs, four earned, on four hits with two strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work. Freshman walk-on Kailey Krueger was impressive in relief against the No. 1 Bruins, allowing just four unearned runs with a strikeout over 3.0 innings.

Notable: Sievers recorded her first career four-hit game and the Ducks' second of the season (Shaye Bowden) … Bunker is now hitting .464 (13-for-28) over the last nine games, and Cruse is batting .448 (13-for-29) with a .500 on-base percentage during that stretch ... Garcia's eight strikeouts tied for her fewest in a seven-inning outing this season … Oregon's three errors tied a season high.

Up Next: The rubber match is set for 1 pm on Sunday on ESPN2.