Saturday, March 25
Eugene, OR
3:05 PM
University of Oregon
21-8, 0
4
vs
7
UCLA
28-4, 0
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4
5
6
7
R
H
E
UCLA
1
0
0
4
0
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7
11
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Oregon
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0
2
0
4
9
0
Photo by: Rob Moseley/GoDucks.com
Series Even Entering Sunday's Finale
03/25/23 | Softball
The No. 19 Oregon softball team squandered some precious opportunities Saturday in a loss to No. 3 UCLA.
EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon rallied back from an early deficit but UCLA struck the two biggest blows Saturday as the No. 3 Bruins evened the series with the No. 19 Ducks, 7-4 before a season-high 1,989 fans in Jane Sanders Stadium.
The Ducks (20-9, 3-5 Pac-12) scored twice in the first inning for a 2-1 lead and got a two-run homer from Terra McGowan in the sixth, but a grand slam by the Bruins in the fourth and a two-run shot in the seventh were the difference. In a game that featured just a single 1-2-3 half inning, UCLA was 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position while Oregon was 2-for-17, as the Ducks left 11 runners on base.
"The grand slam, it's tough — that one hurt — but you're never out of it," UO coach Melyssa Lombardi said. "I mean, we're standing in the last inning and we've got the tying run at the plate. So we're in this game; you can't leave that many runners on base."
The Ducks stranded runners in scoring position in each of the first three innings, and had runners at second and third when the game ended.
"It's just us relaxing and knowing that we can do it," UO outfielder Hanna Delgado said. "And I think we can definitely come out better tomorrow with that, and just continue to push. Our balls will fall, we'll start putting them on the ground more, and move runners more."
How It Happened: After the Bruins scored in the first off UO starter Stevie Hansen (12-4), Delgado singled and Terra McGowan walked off former UO pitcher Brooke Yanez. Allee Bunker followed with a run-scoring single, and McGowan came around on an error for a 2-1 lead.
McGowan walked again with one on and two out in the second, but both runners were stranded. In the third, Ariel Carlson led off with a single and Vallery Wong reached on a one-out fielder's choice, but neither runner advanced any farther.
"I just think we need to be tougher; you know, we had opportunities to cash in and we didn't," Lombardi said. "We gotta put the ball in play. You know, two strikes, you gotta be able to put the ball in play. We didn't put the ball in play enough."
Three one-out singles loaded the bases for UCLA in the fourth, and Lauryn Carter homered to left for a 5-2 lead. A long rain delay after that half-inning provided a reset for the Ducks, with Allison Benning taking over in the circle and striking out four over the next two innings.
In the bottom of the sixth, Tehya Bird led off with a double and McGowan came up clutch, blasting her 10th homer of the season and second of the series to make it 5-4. But UCLA answered with a two-run shot off Benning in the seventh, while the Ducks couldn't capitalize on a leadoff single from KK Humphreys and a one-out base hit by Kedre Luschar in the bottom of the seventh.
Notable: McGowan threw out a runner attempting to steal second base in the second inning, her conference-leading ninth runner caught stealing this spring. … Benning's four strikeouts were a career high. … Katelyn Howard opened the game as the designated player, her first start since seven games as a freshman in 2019. ... Freshman Remmington Hewitt got her second at-bat in Pac-12 play this season as a pinch-hitter, and senior Karissa Ornelas got her third. ... The rain delay in the fourth inning lasted one hour and 10 minutes.
Quotable:
Junior outfielder Hanna Delgado on seeing so many Ducks play Saturday
"I love when we have a lot of girls in, because I just know that I believe in every one of them, and I know the team does. Seeing them get in is just really refreshing too, because it just gives a new look. For them, getting experiences in games like this just gives them confidence — whether they get the result or not. Being in a game like this is tough and you've got to be strong, so I think it gives them good experience."
Senior infielder Allee Bunker on the importance of winning this series
"Really important tomorrow to come out with a win. We've had two Sundays now in a row where we're tied one and one with the opponent (and lose the rubber match), and this is our opportunity to take a series. It'd be huge for us confidence-wise, and because we know we're right there — we're so close, in every single weekend we've played. Just being able to be successful and come out on top for a weekend would be awesome for this team."
Up Next: The Ducks and Bruins play the series finale Sunday (noon, Pac-12 Network).
The Ducks (20-9, 3-5 Pac-12) scored twice in the first inning for a 2-1 lead and got a two-run homer from Terra McGowan in the sixth, but a grand slam by the Bruins in the fourth and a two-run shot in the seventh were the difference. In a game that featured just a single 1-2-3 half inning, UCLA was 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position while Oregon was 2-for-17, as the Ducks left 11 runners on base.
"The grand slam, it's tough — that one hurt — but you're never out of it," UO coach Melyssa Lombardi said. "I mean, we're standing in the last inning and we've got the tying run at the plate. So we're in this game; you can't leave that many runners on base."
The Ducks stranded runners in scoring position in each of the first three innings, and had runners at second and third when the game ended.
"It's just us relaxing and knowing that we can do it," UO outfielder Hanna Delgado said. "And I think we can definitely come out better tomorrow with that, and just continue to push. Our balls will fall, we'll start putting them on the ground more, and move runners more."
How It Happened: After the Bruins scored in the first off UO starter Stevie Hansen (12-4), Delgado singled and Terra McGowan walked off former UO pitcher Brooke Yanez. Allee Bunker followed with a run-scoring single, and McGowan came around on an error for a 2-1 lead.
McGowan walked again with one on and two out in the second, but both runners were stranded. In the third, Ariel Carlson led off with a single and Vallery Wong reached on a one-out fielder's choice, but neither runner advanced any farther.
"I just think we need to be tougher; you know, we had opportunities to cash in and we didn't," Lombardi said. "We gotta put the ball in play. You know, two strikes, you gotta be able to put the ball in play. We didn't put the ball in play enough."
Three one-out singles loaded the bases for UCLA in the fourth, and Lauryn Carter homered to left for a 5-2 lead. A long rain delay after that half-inning provided a reset for the Ducks, with Allison Benning taking over in the circle and striking out four over the next two innings.
In the bottom of the sixth, Tehya Bird led off with a double and McGowan came up clutch, blasting her 10th homer of the season and second of the series to make it 5-4. But UCLA answered with a two-run shot off Benning in the seventh, while the Ducks couldn't capitalize on a leadoff single from KK Humphreys and a one-out base hit by Kedre Luschar in the bottom of the seventh.
Notable: McGowan threw out a runner attempting to steal second base in the second inning, her conference-leading ninth runner caught stealing this spring. … Benning's four strikeouts were a career high. … Katelyn Howard opened the game as the designated player, her first start since seven games as a freshman in 2019. ... Freshman Remmington Hewitt got her second at-bat in Pac-12 play this season as a pinch-hitter, and senior Karissa Ornelas got her third. ... The rain delay in the fourth inning lasted one hour and 10 minutes.
Quotable:
Junior outfielder Hanna Delgado on seeing so many Ducks play Saturday
"I love when we have a lot of girls in, because I just know that I believe in every one of them, and I know the team does. Seeing them get in is just really refreshing too, because it just gives a new look. For them, getting experiences in games like this just gives them confidence — whether they get the result or not. Being in a game like this is tough and you've got to be strong, so I think it gives them good experience."
Senior infielder Allee Bunker on the importance of winning this series
"Really important tomorrow to come out with a win. We've had two Sundays now in a row where we're tied one and one with the opponent (and lose the rubber match), and this is our opportunity to take a series. It'd be huge for us confidence-wise, and because we know we're right there — we're so close, in every single weekend we've played. Just being able to be successful and come out on top for a weekend would be awesome for this team."
Up Next: The Ducks and Bruins play the series finale Sunday (noon, Pac-12 Network).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Faraimo (14-2)
L: Hansen, Stevie (12-4)
Batting:
2B: Brady 1
HR: Palacios 1 ; Carter 1
RBI: Woolery 1 ; Palacios 2 ; Carter 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Brady 1 ; Hatch 1 ; Palacios 1 ; Pola 1 ; Meono 1 ; Vines 1 ; Carter 1
CS: Godin 1
HBP: Jordan 1 ; Powell 1
Batting:
2B: Bird, Tehya 1
HR: McGowan, Terra 1
RBI: McGowan, Terra 2 ; Bunker, Allee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Delgado, Hanna 1 ; McGowan, Terra 2 ; Luschar, Kai 1
SB: Carlson, Ariel 1 ; Humphreys, KK 1
HBP: Sinicki, Paige 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP/DP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UT
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
LHP
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