Sunday, April 13
Minneapolis, MN
10:00 AM
University of Oregon
5
at
4
Minnesota
Photo by: Aimee Sinacola/GoDucks.com
Ducks Share Big Ten Lead After Sweep of Gophers
04/13/25 | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS – No. 4 Oregon defeated Minnesota by a score of 5-4 for the second straight day as the Ducks completed a sweep of the Gophers Sunday to remain in a tie for first in the Big Ten.
The Ducks have now won all five Big Ten series – including four sweeps – and are tied for the conference lead with No. 8 UCLA at 12-1. The Bruins visit Eugene for a first-place showdown next weekend.
With the win, Oregon improved to 38-4 overall which is the best record through 42 games in program history.
"I love how gritty this team is," said coach Melyssa Lombardi. "We understand that each game is going to require something different for us to be successful and you could definitely see that this weekend.
"I loved how so many different people stepped up all weekend long," said Lombardi. "It's very difficult to come in and sweep a series. So to see these guys take it one game at a time was really, really big,"
Sunday, the Ducks jumped out to a 5-0 lead on Kedre Luschar's third-inning home run and clutch two-out hitting from Ayanna Shaw and Braiesey Rosa in the fifth inning.
After the Gophers closed to within one run, 5-4, in the bottom of the sixth, Elise Sokolsky relieved and retired all six batters she faced to quash Minnesota's upset bid in front of a sold out crowd at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
How It Happened: Luschar gave Oregon a 2-0 lead on a home run in the top of the third. Paige Sinicki was hit by a pitch and Luschar drove the first offering she saw over the wall in center field. It was her fourth home run of the season.
"Kedre was hot all weekend long," said Lombardi of Luschar who was 3-for-4 on Sunday. "At the plate, on defense. She's swinging a hot bat and we sure hope that continues."
The Ducks increased their lead on the Gophers in the fifth inning thanks to a pair of clutch two-out hits.
Luschar led off with a single and Emma Cox doubled to give the Ducks two runners in scoring position with no outs. But the next two Ducks struck out.
Shaw made sure those runners weren't left on base with a single into left that brought both Ducks home for a 4-0 lead.
"Ayanna coming back from her injury and just being able to come in and really sell out at the plate," said Lombardi. "She was such a tough out. Both games, today and yesterday, it was huge to see her come through and drive the ball for us."
After Shaw stole second, Rosa came through with a pinch-hit single into right to score Shaw with Oregon's fifth run of the game.
"Today was about taking my role and my job today and doing the best which was coming in to pinch-hit for Dez and just get making sure I got it done," said Rosa.
"Braiesey just battled and battled," said Lombardi. "I don't know how many pitches she had (10) but she found a way to get on base and clutch up for us."
Lyndsey Grein had a one-hit shutout through five innings but ran into trouble in the sixth. She gave up two singles and walked a batter to load the bases. Nani Valencia hit a grand slam and suddenly the Ducks were clinging to a one-run lead, 5-4.
Sokolsky entered in relief with no outs in the sixth and struck out two batters around a flyout to escape the inning. Sokolsky came back out for the bottom of the seventh and slammed the door shut with a strikeout and a couple of groundouts for her second save in as many days.
"To get out of the sixth after they hit that home run and not having any outs was huge," said Lombardi. "And then for her to just shut it down in the seventh was awesome."
Grein struck out five for the win, her NCAA-leading 22nd of the season.
Stolen Bases Watch
Having set both the individual and team single season stolen bases school records earlier in April, the Ducks and Kai Luschar are now climbing up the Big Ten Conference's single-season lists. Kai Luschar had two steals Saturday, her 44th and 45th of the year, to move into a tie for fifth with Northwestern's Susan Harrelson on the league's single-season list. She's one out of fourth and two out of third. As a team, Oregon had six stolen bases Saturday for 139 on the season. The Ducks are just five steals out of third.
BIG TEN CONFERENCE
Season Stolen Bases - Individual
1. 59 Angie Marzetta, Washington 1993
2. 52 Natasha Watley, UCLA 2001
3. 47 Tasha Reents, Iowa 1996
4. 46 Susan Harrelson, Northwestern 1995
5. 45 Kai Luschar, Oregon 2025 – Oregon Single Season Record
45 Emily Allard, Northwestern 2011
7. 43 Molly Garst, Purdue 2010
43 Liane Horiuchi, Purdue 2010
43 Jennifer Krueger, Wisconsin 2011
BIG TEN CONFERENCE
Season Stolen Bases - Team
1. 194 Washington 1997
2. 168 Washington 1998
3. 144 Purdue 2010
4. 142 Northwestern 1995
5. 141 Indiana 2019
6. 139 Oregon 2025 – UO Single Season Record
7. 133 Iowa 1997
Notable: Paige Sinicki started her 171st consecutive game at shortstop … The previous best 42-game record for Oregon was 37-5 in 2017. That team won a school-record 35 straight games to start the season.
Quotable:
Outfielder Ayanna Shaw on her two-RBI single in the fifth inning.
"I was just looking for a good pitch at the plate and fortunately got the runners in."
Up Next: Oregon plays the rubber game of the Rivalry Series at Oregon State Wednesday (6 p.m., ESPN+) before hosting UCLA next weekend.
- www.GoDucks.com -
The Ducks have now won all five Big Ten series – including four sweeps – and are tied for the conference lead with No. 8 UCLA at 12-1. The Bruins visit Eugene for a first-place showdown next weekend.
With the win, Oregon improved to 38-4 overall which is the best record through 42 games in program history.
"I love how gritty this team is," said coach Melyssa Lombardi. "We understand that each game is going to require something different for us to be successful and you could definitely see that this weekend.
"I loved how so many different people stepped up all weekend long," said Lombardi. "It's very difficult to come in and sweep a series. So to see these guys take it one game at a time was really, really big,"
Sunday, the Ducks jumped out to a 5-0 lead on Kedre Luschar's third-inning home run and clutch two-out hitting from Ayanna Shaw and Braiesey Rosa in the fifth inning.
After the Gophers closed to within one run, 5-4, in the bottom of the sixth, Elise Sokolsky relieved and retired all six batters she faced to quash Minnesota's upset bid in front of a sold out crowd at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
How It Happened: Luschar gave Oregon a 2-0 lead on a home run in the top of the third. Paige Sinicki was hit by a pitch and Luschar drove the first offering she saw over the wall in center field. It was her fourth home run of the season.
"Kedre was hot all weekend long," said Lombardi of Luschar who was 3-for-4 on Sunday. "At the plate, on defense. She's swinging a hot bat and we sure hope that continues."
The Ducks increased their lead on the Gophers in the fifth inning thanks to a pair of clutch two-out hits.
Luschar led off with a single and Emma Cox doubled to give the Ducks two runners in scoring position with no outs. But the next two Ducks struck out.
Shaw made sure those runners weren't left on base with a single into left that brought both Ducks home for a 4-0 lead.
"Ayanna coming back from her injury and just being able to come in and really sell out at the plate," said Lombardi. "She was such a tough out. Both games, today and yesterday, it was huge to see her come through and drive the ball for us."
After Shaw stole second, Rosa came through with a pinch-hit single into right to score Shaw with Oregon's fifth run of the game.
"Today was about taking my role and my job today and doing the best which was coming in to pinch-hit for Dez and just get making sure I got it done," said Rosa.
"Braiesey just battled and battled," said Lombardi. "I don't know how many pitches she had (10) but she found a way to get on base and clutch up for us."
Lyndsey Grein had a one-hit shutout through five innings but ran into trouble in the sixth. She gave up two singles and walked a batter to load the bases. Nani Valencia hit a grand slam and suddenly the Ducks were clinging to a one-run lead, 5-4.
Sokolsky entered in relief with no outs in the sixth and struck out two batters around a flyout to escape the inning. Sokolsky came back out for the bottom of the seventh and slammed the door shut with a strikeout and a couple of groundouts for her second save in as many days.
"To get out of the sixth after they hit that home run and not having any outs was huge," said Lombardi. "And then for her to just shut it down in the seventh was awesome."
Grein struck out five for the win, her NCAA-leading 22nd of the season.
Stolen Bases Watch
Having set both the individual and team single season stolen bases school records earlier in April, the Ducks and Kai Luschar are now climbing up the Big Ten Conference's single-season lists. Kai Luschar had two steals Saturday, her 44th and 45th of the year, to move into a tie for fifth with Northwestern's Susan Harrelson on the league's single-season list. She's one out of fourth and two out of third. As a team, Oregon had six stolen bases Saturday for 139 on the season. The Ducks are just five steals out of third.
BIG TEN CONFERENCE
Season Stolen Bases - Individual
1. 59 Angie Marzetta, Washington 1993
2. 52 Natasha Watley, UCLA 2001
3. 47 Tasha Reents, Iowa 1996
4. 46 Susan Harrelson, Northwestern 1995
5. 45 Kai Luschar, Oregon 2025 – Oregon Single Season Record
45 Emily Allard, Northwestern 2011
7. 43 Molly Garst, Purdue 2010
43 Liane Horiuchi, Purdue 2010
43 Jennifer Krueger, Wisconsin 2011
BIG TEN CONFERENCE
Season Stolen Bases - Team
1. 194 Washington 1997
2. 168 Washington 1998
3. 144 Purdue 2010
4. 142 Northwestern 1995
5. 141 Indiana 2019
6. 139 Oregon 2025 – UO Single Season Record
7. 133 Iowa 1997
Notable: Paige Sinicki started her 171st consecutive game at shortstop … The previous best 42-game record for Oregon was 37-5 in 2017. That team won a school-record 35 straight games to start the season.
Quotable:
Outfielder Ayanna Shaw on her two-RBI single in the fifth inning.
"I was just looking for a good pitch at the plate and fortunately got the runners in."
Up Next: Oregon plays the rubber game of the Rivalry Series at Oregon State Wednesday (6 p.m., ESPN+) before hosting UCLA next weekend.
- www.GoDucks.com -
Players Mentioned
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