Photo by: Rob Moseley/GoDucks.com
UO Pitchers Sharing In Each Other's Success
05/08/25 | Softball
As the postseason dawns for Oregon softball on Thursday, the Ducks have benefited from a stable of pitchers led by Lyndsey Grein and Elise Sokolsky.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Corks were flying through the air in left field at Jane Sanders Stadium, followed by long spouts of non-alcoholic sparkling cider.
This past Saturday, the Oregon softball team clinched a share of the Big Ten title. The next day, after wrapping up the regular season and winning the title outright, the Ducks celebrated by popping bottles together.
Amidst the cascade of cork and cold cider, two Ducks found each other. Each holding an open bottle, the two most high-profile right arms on the UO softball team linked up. Their arms interlocking at the elbow, Lyndsey Grein and Elise Sokolsky each took a satisfying pull of cider — together.
"That's how we've done it the whole season; that's how we've won," Grein said Wednesday, after Oregon's practice day in Indiana prior to a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal matchup Thursday against Michigan (1:30 p.m., BTN). "We're not going to change that now, and we're not going to change that when we celebrate. It's a group effort for sure."
For most of this season, Grein has commanded the spotlight in the circle for the Ducks. She enters the postseason at 26-2, the most wins in the country, and sporting a 1.82 ERA. When the 25 candidates for USA Softball's player of the year award were announced, Grein was the UO pitcher to make the list, along with senior outfielder Kedre Luschar.
But last week, it was Sokolsky in the circle for Saturday's shutout of Michigan State that clinched a share of the Big Ten title. Grien's ERA is second-lowest in the Big Ten, and right behind her in third is Sokolsky, at 2.00.
UO coach Melyssa Lombardi rarely mentions one without acknowledging the other — or the rest of Oregon's staff.
"What I love is that with Taylour (Spencer) and Staci (Chambers) and Rowan (Thompson), we've got some other looks as well," Lombardi said. "I like that we have a complete staff, because we're going to need it."
The final series of the regular season proved it. Grein, two weeks removed from sweeping national pitcher of the week honors, didn't have her best stuff. Sokolsky took the baton, and brought Oregon across the finish line first in the race for the Big Ten.
"They just totally have each other's back," Luschar said after Saturday's title clincher. "If one of them isn't getting what they want, the other is like, 'I got you. I'm going to do it for you.' Elise was amazing today, switching speeds; the hitters just do not know what's coming, and they can't guess either, because it all looks the same. That's just what makes her so good, and Lyndsey is the same. They just have each other's backs, and it's awesome to see."
Grein earned her most recent national player of the week honors after helping the Ducks win a series against UCLA in mid-April. She extended what's been a remarkable run of success against elite competition — after 11 1/3 scoreless innings against the Bruins, Grein had thrown 28 total innings against top-25 competition without allowing a run.
That streak is intact entering the postseason. When the competition is toughest, so too is Grein.
"To be able to have velo and a high, high spin rate, and also to be able to throw soft is really hard to do," Lombardi said. "To see the things she does, it's awesome to watch her pitch, and to watch her ball in flight and the movement it has."
Grein joined the Ducks as a junior this season, following two years at Virginia Tech. She has blossomed under Lombardi, and they're eager to give each other credit for improvements Grein has made since arriving in Eugene.
"I'm not breaking her down and starting her over," Lombardi said. "She is who she is. Can I enhance her? Can our coaches enhance her?"
The answer: a resounding yes.
"The game doesn't lie," Grein said. "Things I struggled with, or things that mechanically I had a hard time with, they came out right away. You could see them. Coach Lombardi could have easily said, it's OK, just keep moving forward. And instead she said, nope, we're gonna get this right."
The results have commanded attention from the collegiate softball world this season. And yet, again, it was Sokolsky pitching crucial innings as the Ducks wrapped up the regular season with a series win over Michigan State last week.
"It was such an amazing feeling to see her get on the mound and have Lyndsey's back," senior shortstop Paige Sinicki said. "Lyndsey can't be perfect all the time. She's been amazing all year, and she's gonna have (Sokolsky's) back later on. But for Elise to step up and do what she's been doing this whole year, it's such a great thing for her and great thing for this team. So I'm really proud of her."
Along with their competitive spirit, Grein and Sokolsky each feature a devastating changeup. Grein's is good, but she readily admits Sokolsky's is on a different level.
"I kind of feel like it came out of nowhere," Sokolsky said. "I had it, but it wasn't used as often. And then we realized, oh, this is what it can do."
The camaraderie between the two was evident Wednesday in Indiana, as Oregon's pitchers drove to a practice facility. Grein sat directly behind Sokolsky, and each controlled the music in the van on one leg of the trip. On the way, Grein went heavy on Eighties rock and roll; for the trip back, Sokolsky went with country.
In between they braided each other's hair, and bantered with the other pitchers and catchers in the van. It would have been hard to believe in that moment these are two of the most intimidating pitchers in the country.
"Every one of these pitchers flips a switch," Lombardi said. "They can be the girl next door, and then they want to rip your face off when they're on the mound. That's this group; you have to be able to do that. Who they are off the field is so different from who they are on."
Grein's gameday fit this season has included a glittery headband and thick hoop earrings. That's not a look she'd necessarily sport off the field, she said. But when they go on for gameday, that means it's go time. As the first pitch approaches, her intensity only rises.
"I'll go do my warm-up, and then I come back for a second round of warm-ups," Grein said. "And that's when we really turn it on."
It's a routine that has largely paid dividends this season. There have been some hiccups the last couple weeks. But with the postseason dawning, Grein — and the rest of the UO staff — are ready to answer the moment.
"It's definitely a good reset for me, and it's something I've really bought into," Grein said. "It's a new season. And for me, it means I just need to go out and compete."
This past Saturday, the Oregon softball team clinched a share of the Big Ten title. The next day, after wrapping up the regular season and winning the title outright, the Ducks celebrated by popping bottles together.
Amidst the cascade of cork and cold cider, two Ducks found each other. Each holding an open bottle, the two most high-profile right arms on the UO softball team linked up. Their arms interlocking at the elbow, Lyndsey Grein and Elise Sokolsky each took a satisfying pull of cider — together.
"That's how we've done it the whole season; that's how we've won," Grein said Wednesday, after Oregon's practice day in Indiana prior to a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal matchup Thursday against Michigan (1:30 p.m., BTN). "We're not going to change that now, and we're not going to change that when we celebrate. It's a group effort for sure."
For most of this season, Grein has commanded the spotlight in the circle for the Ducks. She enters the postseason at 26-2, the most wins in the country, and sporting a 1.82 ERA. When the 25 candidates for USA Softball's player of the year award were announced, Grein was the UO pitcher to make the list, along with senior outfielder Kedre Luschar.
But last week, it was Sokolsky in the circle for Saturday's shutout of Michigan State that clinched a share of the Big Ten title. Grien's ERA is second-lowest in the Big Ten, and right behind her in third is Sokolsky, at 2.00.
UO coach Melyssa Lombardi rarely mentions one without acknowledging the other — or the rest of Oregon's staff.
"What I love is that with Taylour (Spencer) and Staci (Chambers) and Rowan (Thompson), we've got some other looks as well," Lombardi said. "I like that we have a complete staff, because we're going to need it."
The final series of the regular season proved it. Grein, two weeks removed from sweeping national pitcher of the week honors, didn't have her best stuff. Sokolsky took the baton, and brought Oregon across the finish line first in the race for the Big Ten.
"They just totally have each other's back," Luschar said after Saturday's title clincher. "If one of them isn't getting what they want, the other is like, 'I got you. I'm going to do it for you.' Elise was amazing today, switching speeds; the hitters just do not know what's coming, and they can't guess either, because it all looks the same. That's just what makes her so good, and Lyndsey is the same. They just have each other's backs, and it's awesome to see."
Grein earned her most recent national player of the week honors after helping the Ducks win a series against UCLA in mid-April. She extended what's been a remarkable run of success against elite competition — after 11 1/3 scoreless innings against the Bruins, Grein had thrown 28 total innings against top-25 competition without allowing a run.
That streak is intact entering the postseason. When the competition is toughest, so too is Grein.
"To be able to have velo and a high, high spin rate, and also to be able to throw soft is really hard to do," Lombardi said. "To see the things she does, it's awesome to watch her pitch, and to watch her ball in flight and the movement it has."
Grein joined the Ducks as a junior this season, following two years at Virginia Tech. She has blossomed under Lombardi, and they're eager to give each other credit for improvements Grein has made since arriving in Eugene.
"I'm not breaking her down and starting her over," Lombardi said. "She is who she is. Can I enhance her? Can our coaches enhance her?"
The answer: a resounding yes.
"The game doesn't lie," Grein said. "Things I struggled with, or things that mechanically I had a hard time with, they came out right away. You could see them. Coach Lombardi could have easily said, it's OK, just keep moving forward. And instead she said, nope, we're gonna get this right."
The results have commanded attention from the collegiate softball world this season. And yet, again, it was Sokolsky pitching crucial innings as the Ducks wrapped up the regular season with a series win over Michigan State last week.
"It was such an amazing feeling to see her get on the mound and have Lyndsey's back," senior shortstop Paige Sinicki said. "Lyndsey can't be perfect all the time. She's been amazing all year, and she's gonna have (Sokolsky's) back later on. But for Elise to step up and do what she's been doing this whole year, it's such a great thing for her and great thing for this team. So I'm really proud of her."
Along with their competitive spirit, Grein and Sokolsky each feature a devastating changeup. Grein's is good, but she readily admits Sokolsky's is on a different level.
"I kind of feel like it came out of nowhere," Sokolsky said. "I had it, but it wasn't used as often. And then we realized, oh, this is what it can do."
The camaraderie between the two was evident Wednesday in Indiana, as Oregon's pitchers drove to a practice facility. Grein sat directly behind Sokolsky, and each controlled the music in the van on one leg of the trip. On the way, Grein went heavy on Eighties rock and roll; for the trip back, Sokolsky went with country.
In between they braided each other's hair, and bantered with the other pitchers and catchers in the van. It would have been hard to believe in that moment these are two of the most intimidating pitchers in the country.
"Every one of these pitchers flips a switch," Lombardi said. "They can be the girl next door, and then they want to rip your face off when they're on the mound. That's this group; you have to be able to do that. Who they are off the field is so different from who they are on."
Grein's gameday fit this season has included a glittery headband and thick hoop earrings. That's not a look she'd necessarily sport off the field, she said. But when they go on for gameday, that means it's go time. As the first pitch approaches, her intensity only rises.
"I'll go do my warm-up, and then I come back for a second round of warm-ups," Grein said. "And that's when we really turn it on."
It's a routine that has largely paid dividends this season. There have been some hiccups the last couple weeks. But with the postseason dawning, Grein — and the rest of the UO staff — are ready to answer the moment.
"It's definitely a good reset for me, and it's something I've really bought into," Grein said. "It's a new season. And for me, it means I just need to go out and compete."
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