Ducks Seize the Moment to Top No. 5 Vols, Cal

Thursday, February 20

Cathedral City, CA

10:00 AM

University of Oregon

11-1

California

6-3

California

Oregon

Photo by: Kallie Hansel-Tennes/GoDucks.com

02/20/25 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Oregon-California Box Score Oregon-Tennessee Box Score Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Success, according to the Roman philosopher Seneca, is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

In the bottom of the eighth inning in a scoreless game between No. 19 Oregon and No. 5 Tennessee, pinch-runner Kedre Luschar found herself standing on third base at the intersection of preparation and opportunity.

Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens, who held the Ducks to just one hit Thursday, threw a strike that catcher Sophia Nugent couldn't handle and as the ball bounced to the backstop, Luschar raced down the line from third and beat the throw to the plate to score winning run in the Ducks' 1-0 extra-inning upset of the Volunteers.

"I had a feeling that's how I was going to score," said Luschar, who noted that UT had already served up two passed balls and a wild pitch earlier in the game. "It was going to be a passed ball. I was ready for anything.

"It's about always being ready," she said. "You never know when you're going to be called on. It could be any point in the game. It could be anything so just stay ready always."

Kedre Luschar

Luschar's run capped a successful effort on the opening day of the Mary Nutter Classic that also saw the Ducks (12-1) defeat former Pac-12 rival California, 5-4.

Lyndsey Grein and Elise Sokolsky were equal to the task against Tennessee (10-2). They combined on a three-hit shutout. Grein also went 3.1 scoreless innings against Cal (6-3) to earn the win in that contest and improve to 7-0 on the year.

"They're amazing," said Luschar of the pitchers. "I don't know how they do it. They're awesome. That was all them. Today was all them."

How It Happened: - Game 1 (Oregon 5, California 4): Oregon came from behind after the Bears jumped out to an early lead.

Cal scored twice in the first on a home run and a sacrifice fly.

Oregon answered with three runs in the bottom of the first. Emma Cox lined a two-out double into left field to score Dezianna Patmon. Rylee McCoy followed with a two-run home run to left that gave the Ducks a 3-2 lead.

After Cal knotted the score at 3-3 in the top of third inning, the Ducks regained the lead for good in the bottom of the of inning.

Stefini Ma'ake and Cox singled ahead of Paige Sinicki, whose two-out triple down the left field line scored both runners for a 5-3 lead.

The Bears added a run in the fourth to close with in a run, 5-4, and had runners on second and third with two outs, but Grein came on in relief and struck out Lagi Quiroga, who homered in the first inning, to end the threat.

Grein retired 10 of the last 12 Cal batters she faced and held the Bears scoreless over 3.1 innings. She struck out three and walked one to pick up the win.

How It Happened: - Game 2 (Oregon 1, Tennessee 0): Oregon and Tennessee engaged in a classic pitchers' duel.

Pickens didn't allow an Oregon runner to reach base until Elyse Kresho walked in the third inning.

Patmon broke up the no-hitter by leading off the sixth inning with a line drive single into right field. She moved to second on a passed ball and then went to third on a wild pitch. But Pickens retired the next three batters to strand Patmon at third.

Meanwhile, Grein and starter Elise Sokolsky held Tennessee in check, allowing just three hits.

Sokolsky didn't give up a hit until a one-out single in the fourth inning.

The Volunteers loaded the bases on two hits and a walk in the top of the fifth. Sokolsky retired the first two batters of the inning, but gave up back-to-back singles. Grein was called out of the bullpen and walked the first batter she faced to load the bases. But she then struck out Gabby Leach to end the threat.

Tennessee had a runner reach base on a walk in both the sixth and seventh innings, but Grein was able to work around both free passes without allowing any further damage.

In the top of the eighth, using the international tie-breaker rule for extra innings, the Vols had a runner placed on second and she went to third on a groundout. But Grein fanned the next batter for the second out of the inning and induced a groundout to Sinicki at shortstop to end the inning.

That gave Oregon the opportunity to win the game with Luschar placed on second to open the bottom of the eighth.

Sinicki dropped down a sacrifice bunt to advance Luschar to third. After intentional walks to Patmon and Katie Flannery, Braiesey Rosa was called upon to pinch hit. She took the first offering from Pickens for ball one. The second pitch caught the inside corner, but the catcher Nugent couldn't handle it.

As soon as she saw the ball get by Nugent, Luschar made a break for home to win it for the Ducks.

Sokolsky didn't allow any runs on three hits and struck out two in 4.2 innings, while Grein held the Vols to no hits and fanned five in 3.1 innings to pick up her seventh win of the season.

Notable: The Ducks' 12-1 start is the program's best since going 24-1 to open the 2021 season … Oregon added two more steals to its season total and now leads the NCAA with 59 … Paige Sinicki made her 141^st and 142^nd consecutive starts at shortstop … McCoy's home run was her fourth of the season and extended her hitting streak to five games … Cox, Sinicki and Kai Luschar all had two hits against Cal.

Quotable:
Outfielder Kedre Luschar on the team's mindset entering extra innings against No. 5 Tennessee
"I think we just all knew. We all were in it. None of had any doubt that we weren't going to win that game."

Up Next: Oregon will face two more 2024 NCAA Tournament teams – Utah (10:30 a.m.) and San Diego State (1 p.m.) – Friday at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.

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