Ducks Clip UCSD, 2-1, on Ornelas’ RBI Single

Sunday, February 26

Cathedral City, CA

10:00 AM

University of Oregon

UC San Diego

Photo by: Samuel Marshall

02/26/23 | Softball

Box Score Oregon-UCSD Box Score

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. –Stevie Hansen won her fourth game of the weekend and Karissa Ornelas came up big in the clutch with a pinch-hit go-ahead single in the top of the seventh inning as No. 22 Oregon closed out the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with a 2-1 win against UC San Diego Sunday.

Hansen came on in relief of starter Raegan Breedlove in the bottom the third inning with two-on and none out and retired the next three batters she faced to get out of the inning and kept the Tritons (7-8) at bay the rest of the game.

Tied a 1-1 in the top of the seventh, Ornelas delivered an RBI single into right field to score Paige Sinicki with the go-ahead run.

"It was great knowing that my teammates were able to get on, and to come up just being locked in and have the opportunity to do what I did," said Ornelas.

How it Happened: Oregon (12-3) scored first in the second inning. Alyssa Daniell beat out an infield single and went to second on Sinicki's 12-pitch walk. With two outs, Kyla Morris dropped a single into right field to score Daniell, giving the Ducks a 1-0 lead.

The Titans (7-8) took advantage of a hit batter and an error to tie the game at 1-1 in the fifth inning.

In the top of the seventh, Sinicki led off with a bunt base hit and stole second. Ornelas was called upon to pinch hit for Morris and singled into left center to chase Sinicki home with the go-ahead run.

Hansen (8-2) set the side down in order on just five pitches in the bottom of the seventh to earn her eighth win in a row. She went 5.0 innings and struck out six, giving up an unearned run on three hits.

Standout Stats for Hansen: For the tournament, Hansen went 4-0 with a 1.27 earned run average. She yielded six runs – four earned – on 14 hits in 22.0 innings. Hansen struck out 13 and walked four, and was the Ducks' winning pitcher against No. 3 Florida, No. 19 Northwestern and No. 24 Missouri.

Pitching Line: As a team, the Ducks' pitching staff went 4-1 with a 1.20 ERA and 24 strikeouts. In addition to Hansen, Morgan Scott was 0-1 with a 0.00 ERA and seven strikeouts in 6.0 innings and earned a save against Missouri, while Breedlove recorded a 2.00 ERA in 7.0 innings.

Noteworthy: Hanna Delgado led off the game with a double to extend her hitting streak to seven games. For the tournament, Delgado hit .389 (7-of-18) … Other notable performances from the Mary Nutter Classic included Morris, who hit .462 (6-for-13) and stole two bases; Sinicki, who batted .364 (4-of-11); Allee Bunker, who hit .333 (6-of-18) with a double, two home runs and six RBI; and KK Humphreys and Terra McGowan who both homered twice … Vallery Wong had a home run and a single in three plate appearances over the weekend.

Quotable:
Catcher Karissa Ornelas on the Ducks' 4-1 weekend at the Mary Nutter
"Feeling great knowing that we can go back and fix what we need to and just knowing that all the hard work we put in is paying off. Just proud of my team."

On Deck: The Ducks return to California for the Judi Garman Classic Thursday through Saturday in Fullerton, Calif.

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