Friday, May 15
Eugene, OR
7:00 PM
University of Oregon
41-12
5
vs
1
Idaho State
37-19
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho State | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Oregon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | X | 5 | 5 | 0 |
Photo by: Rob Moseley/GoDucks.com
Shaw's Slam, Sokolsky's Brilliance Key Regional Win
05/15/26 | Softball
Box ScoreEugene Regional GM2: # 14 Oregon 5, Idaho State 1 Eugene Regional GM1: Mississippi State 3, Saint Mary's 2Photo Gallery
The Oregon softball team overcame the absence of ace Lyndsey Grein to beat Idaho State on Friday, 5-1.
EUGENE, Ore. — Recent history has taught the Oregon softball team that there are many paths to advancing in the postseason. It's taught the Ducks, too, that though it may take a little time for the offense to get going, it usually does.
Playing without ace pitcher Lyndsey Grein, the Ducks fell behind early in their NCAA Regional opener against Idaho State on Friday. But they capitalized on a five-run fourth inning to win, 5-1, and advance to Saturday's battle for the regional driver's seat against Mississippi State at 2 p.m.
Grein missed Friday's game with an eye infection that has her day-to-day this weekend, UO coach Melyssa Lombardi said. Taylour Spencer and Elise Sokolsky combined to hold the Bengals to one run, while Ayanna Shaw's grand slam was the big blow in the decisive fourth inning.
"If you look at this entire year, we've had to take on strain at different times of the year," Lombardi said. "To watch these guys do that for her, we knew these guys were ready to go, but we're going to be even that much more ready to go knowing that they've got a teammate that was down tonight."
Shaw's second career home run was a memorable one. In the third inning, the Ducks loaded the bases but didn't score, showing signs of life offensively the second time through the batting order; the first four hitters all then reached in the fourth, the last of them Shaw in the ultimate example of looking more comfortable in her second at-bat of the night.
"I would say probably for all of us that's how we felt," Shaw said. "I mean, we all know we're going to score. It's just a matter of when."
Sokolsky had come on in the top of the fourth to get the final two outs of the inning. She ended up retiring all 11 hitters she faced, the last on a strikeout that got the sold-out Jane Sanders Stadium crowd roaring.
"It's just such a blessing to be able to have our fans come out and support us like this," Sokolsky said. "I know there's very limited schools that get to experience this, and I don't think there's any other schools that experience it like we do here at the Jane. I mean, we call it the Lion's Den for a reason."
How It Happened: A leadoff double and a one-out RBI single gave Idaho State a 1-0 lead three batters into the game. But that's all the Bengals would muster against Spencer, who scattered five hits and a walk while striking out four.
"We gave up one run in the first inning; you know it's going to happen, but what I love is how she got out of the jam and she just got better as every inning went," Lombardi said.
The Ducks only had one hit the first time through the order, a second-inning single by Stefini Ma'ake. They loaded the bases without the benefit of a hit in the third, squandering the opportunity. In the fourth, Shaw made sure they took advantage.
Ma'ake led off the fourth by working the count full and then taking a walk. Kaylynn Jones and Rylee McCoy each singled to load the bases, before Shaw unloaded them by unloading on a pitch for a grand slam to right-center field.
The Ducks then loaded the bases again, and made it 5-1 on a sacrifice fly by Emma Cox, who had grounded into a double play to end the third.
"Early in the game, we hit some balls really hard that just didn't go our way," Lombardi said. "And then you could see, that fourth inning, how we were able to put it together and just pass the bat."
Sokolsky's perfect relief effort kept the score 5-1, and the Ducks moved on to face the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon.
"I think our mindset stays the same," Lombardi said. "It's been solid all year. We talk about being 1-0, and we take it one game at a time, one pitch at a time. We understand, for us, when we have all three cylinders firing, this group is tough."
Notable: The sacrifice fly by Cox was Oregon's 37th this season, extending the program record and NCAA-leading total. … The only previous homer of Shaw's career was April 5 at home against Iowa. … Among the sellout crowd of 2,517 were UO softball alum Paige Sinicki and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota.
Up Next: The Ducks face Mississippi State on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Playing without ace pitcher Lyndsey Grein, the Ducks fell behind early in their NCAA Regional opener against Idaho State on Friday. But they capitalized on a five-run fourth inning to win, 5-1, and advance to Saturday's battle for the regional driver's seat against Mississippi State at 2 p.m.
Grein missed Friday's game with an eye infection that has her day-to-day this weekend, UO coach Melyssa Lombardi said. Taylour Spencer and Elise Sokolsky combined to hold the Bengals to one run, while Ayanna Shaw's grand slam was the big blow in the decisive fourth inning.
"If you look at this entire year, we've had to take on strain at different times of the year," Lombardi said. "To watch these guys do that for her, we knew these guys were ready to go, but we're going to be even that much more ready to go knowing that they've got a teammate that was down tonight."
Shaw's second career home run was a memorable one. In the third inning, the Ducks loaded the bases but didn't score, showing signs of life offensively the second time through the batting order; the first four hitters all then reached in the fourth, the last of them Shaw in the ultimate example of looking more comfortable in her second at-bat of the night.
"I would say probably for all of us that's how we felt," Shaw said. "I mean, we all know we're going to score. It's just a matter of when."
Sokolsky had come on in the top of the fourth to get the final two outs of the inning. She ended up retiring all 11 hitters she faced, the last on a strikeout that got the sold-out Jane Sanders Stadium crowd roaring.
"It's just such a blessing to be able to have our fans come out and support us like this," Sokolsky said. "I know there's very limited schools that get to experience this, and I don't think there's any other schools that experience it like we do here at the Jane. I mean, we call it the Lion's Den for a reason."
How It Happened: A leadoff double and a one-out RBI single gave Idaho State a 1-0 lead three batters into the game. But that's all the Bengals would muster against Spencer, who scattered five hits and a walk while striking out four.
"We gave up one run in the first inning; you know it's going to happen, but what I love is how she got out of the jam and she just got better as every inning went," Lombardi said.
The Ducks only had one hit the first time through the order, a second-inning single by Stefini Ma'ake. They loaded the bases without the benefit of a hit in the third, squandering the opportunity. In the fourth, Shaw made sure they took advantage.
Ma'ake led off the fourth by working the count full and then taking a walk. Kaylynn Jones and Rylee McCoy each singled to load the bases, before Shaw unloaded them by unloading on a pitch for a grand slam to right-center field.
The Ducks then loaded the bases again, and made it 5-1 on a sacrifice fly by Emma Cox, who had grounded into a double play to end the third.
"Early in the game, we hit some balls really hard that just didn't go our way," Lombardi said. "And then you could see, that fourth inning, how we were able to put it together and just pass the bat."
Sokolsky's perfect relief effort kept the score 5-1, and the Ducks moved on to face the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon.
"I think our mindset stays the same," Lombardi said. "It's been solid all year. We talk about being 1-0, and we take it one game at a time, one pitch at a time. We understand, for us, when we have all three cylinders firing, this group is tough."
Notable: The sacrifice fly by Cox was Oregon's 37th this season, extending the program record and NCAA-leading total. … The only previous homer of Shaw's career was April 5 at home against Iowa. … Among the sellout crowd of 2,517 were UO softball alum Paige Sinicki and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota.
Up Next: The Ducks face Mississippi State on Saturday at 2 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sokolsky, Elise (9-3)
L: GOLUSKIN, Marley (12-5)
Batting:
2B: YEE, Alyssa 1 ; BROWN, Ava 1
RBI: BROWN, Ava 1
Base Running:
RUNS: YEE, Alyssa 1
Batting:
HR: Shaw, Ayanna 1
RBI: Cox, Emma 1 ; Shaw, Ayanna 4
SF: Cox, Emma 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lawton, Presley 1 ; Jones, Kaylynn 1 ; McCoy, Rylee 1 ; Shaw, Ayanna 1 ; Flannery, Katie 1
HBP: Butler, Elon 1 ; Harper, Amari 1
Game Leaders
lf/dp
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballINF/OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballOregon Softball | Postgame vs. Idaho State | Eugene Regional
Saturday, May 16
Melyssa Lombardi | Eugene Regional Preview
Wednesday, May 13
Elise Sokolsky | Eugene Regional Preview
Wednesday, May 13
Elon Butler | Eugene Regional Preview
Wednesday, May 13
