Ducks Fall Short in Cardinal Classic Finale

Sunday, February 15

Saratoga, CA

12:00 PM

University of Oregon

5-4

Stanford

8-1

Oregon

Stanford

02/15/26 | Softball

Box Score #13 Stanford 5, #15 Oregon 4

SARATOGA, Calif. — No. 15 Oregon loaded the bases in the second and third innings, but let No. 13 Stanford off the hook, as the Cardinal escaped with a 5-4 win Sunday at West Valley College's Viking Field.

The Ducks (5-4) also had runners on second and third in the fifth inning but could not score.

Despite that, the Ducks were resilient. Falling behind 2-0 early, Oregon tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the third. The Ducks trailed 4-2 in the bottom of the third, but cut that lead to one, 4-3, in the top of the fourth.

Stanford made it a two-run advantage again, 5-3, in the fifth, but the Ducks rallied once more in the top of the seventh, cutting the lead to one run, 5-4, on an Emma Cox RBI double before leaving two on to end the game.

The game was part of the Cardinal Classic, which was originally scheduled to be played at Stanford, but due to permitting issues at the Cardinal's new stadium, the event was moved to different venues in the South Bay.

How It Happened: Stanford (8-1) took advantage of a walk and an error to score twice in the bottom of the first.

Oregon loaded the bases in the top of the second on a pair of singles and a walk. One out later, Stefini Ma'ake was hit by a pitch to bring home Oregon's first run. But the Ducks left the bases loaded after Katie Flannery struck out and Kaylynn Jones grounded into a fielder's choice.

Amari Harper tied the game at 2-2 in the third inning with her second home run of the season.

Stanford answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to move out to a 4-2 lead.

With two outs in the top of the fourth, Ma'ake was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game. Katie Flannery singled to advance Ma'ake to second. Jones then slapped a double into the right field corner to score Ma'ake and trim Stanford's lead to 4-3.

In the top of the fifth, Cox and Ayanna Shaw singled and a sacrifice bunt by Braiesey Rosa moved both runners into scoring position. But Addison Amaral popped into a double play to end the inning.

Stanford pushed its lead back to two with a single run in the bottom of the fifth.

The Cardinal were ahead 5-3 going to the seventh when the Ducks mounted one final rally.

With one out, Elon Butler was hit by a pitch. Cox doubled to the wall in left field and Butler scored all the way from first to bring the Ducks within one. Shaw reached on an error, but with two Ducks aboard, the next two batters struck out to end the game.

Notable: Cox went 3-for-4 against the Cardinal, while Shaw was 2-for-4 … Shaw ended up hitting .750 for the tournament (9-for-12) … Last season, the Ducks defeated the Cardinal in a pair of NCAA Eugene Regional elimination games to advance to the NCAA Super Regional. The Ducks advanced on Dezianna Patmon's walk-off home run in the seventh inning of the deciding game.

Up Next: Oregon returns to California for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Feb. 19-21 in Cathedral City, Calif. The Ducks will play Auburn, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 16 South Carolina, Cal State Fullerton and No. 22 Duke.