Ducks Top No. 19 Northwestern, 2-1

Friday, February 24

Cathedral City, CA

10:00 AM

University of Oregon

8-3

Cal State Fullerton

7-5

Fullerton

Oregon

Photo by: Isaac Wasserman

02/24/23 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Oregon-Fullerton Box Score Oregon-Northwestern Box Score

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – No. 22 Oregon overcame a disappointing loss to Cal State Fullerton in the morning with a last at-bat, 2-1, win against No. 19 Northwestern Friday at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.

Allee Bunker's two-out RBI single in the top of the seventh gave the Ducks (9-3) the lead against the Wildcats and Stevie Hansen punctuated her fifth straight win with a called third strike in the bottom of the frame for the final out of the game.

"That's what we're about," said head coach Melyssa Lombardi. "Creating small ball, moving our runners over and then clutching up and driving them in and they did just that."

How it Happened Game 1: Morgan Scott held Fullerton (7-5) scoreless through five innings, but the Ducks' offense was also held in check.

The Titans took advantage of a couple of uncharacteristic errors by Oregon to score four runs in the sixth inning and then added another in the seventh for the 5-0 final.

Scott gave up three runs, all unearned, and struck out six in 5.1 innings. Hanna Delgado, in her first game back since sustaining a head injury on opening weekend, went 2-for-3.

How it Happened Game 2: Hansen (5-2) was locked in a pitchers' duel with Northwestern's Lauren Boyd as both players allowed just one run through six innings.

Hansen retired the first seven batters she faced and had some help keeping her pitch count down thanks to a heads up play by the defense in the third inning. With one out, Kansas Robinson walked. Grace Nieto followed with a bunt single, beating the throw from Hansen to Bunker, who was covering first.

On the play, Robinson strayed too far around second base and Bunker threw the ball to Paige Sinicki and Robinson was caught in a rundown. Sinicki threw the ball to Terra McGowan covering third and she chased Robinson back toward second. McGowan then tossed the ball back to Sinicki who applied the tag on Robinson for one out, and then pivoted and tagged out Nieto, who was trying to sneak into second on the play.

The only blemish on the afternoon for Hansen was a solo home run by Jordyn Rudd in the fourth inning. She worked out of jams in the fifth and sixth innings, and after the Ducks took the lead in the top of the seventh, Hansen closed the game out with a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh including a called third strike on Emmie Farnum for the final out of the game.

"It's just one of those moments where you're like, Bunk just got us ahead and we just need three outs and we're done," said Hansen about going out to the circle after Bunker gave the Ducks the lead. "It gives you just a little extra oomph."

Hansen's final line was one run allowed on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Oregon's offense managed to scratch out just enough runs off Boyd. Kyla Morris led off the top of the third with a single and stole second. Delgado's grounder moved Morris to third and she came home on McGowan's RBI single through the left side for a 1-0 lead.

Rudd's homer knotted things up for the Wildcats and the teams went to the final inning tied at 1-1.

With one out in the seventh, Morris reached base on her third hit of the game. Delgado's infield single put runners on first and second with one out. McGowan's grounder forced Morris at third.

Bunker stepped to the plate with McGowan on first and Delgado on second with two outs. Bunker delivered by lining a single into left field and Delgado beat the throw home to score the decisive run.

Noteworthy: Morris tied her career high with three hits for the second time in the last four games. She was 4-for-6 on the day … with two hits, Bunker tied Sari-Jane Jenkins (2006-09) for sixth in UO career hits with 230. She is four behind fifth-place Julie Cavanaugh (234/1998-91) … Delgado has a hit in all four games she has played in this season … The scoring on Robinson's hit and double play turned by Oregon in the third inning went 1-4-6-2-6 … Rudd also homered against the Ducks last season, accounting for the game's only run in Northwestern's 1-0 win in a game that was also played at the Mary Nutter tournament.

Quotable:
Head Coach Melyssa Lombardi
"We had a tough loss in our first game and I was curious if that was going to dictate our second game, but it didn't they came out and played really, really well."

Head Coach Melyssa Lombardi on Stevie Hansen
"I love how she's pounding the zone. I love how she's competing. She's in a really good place right now."

Pitcher Stevie Hansen on playing top-level competition
"It's fun. There are some great teams here. It's nice knowing you have a challenge at the beginning of the season, but you've also got time to work on what you need to do to get better and better."

On Deck: The Ducks' stay at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic continues Saturday with games scheduled against No. 3 Florida (10 a.m. PT) and No. 24 Missouri (3:00 p.m. PT).

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