Ducks get back on track with road sweep of Minnesota, now 12-1 in Big Ten play

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — After a disappointing upset loss to Loyola Marymount snapped the No. 4 Oregon Ducks' winning streak before it could reach double digits, Melyssa Lombardi got her team back on track this past weekend. With a home matchup with No. 7 UCLA looming, her Ducks went on the road to sweep the Minnesota Golden Gophers, their fourth straight time bringing out the brooms against a Big Ten opponent.

Game 1: Oregon 13, Minnesota 0

Oregon steamrolled past Minnesota in just five innings in its first game, exploding for 12 runs across the final two innings after a slow start. Golden Gopher starter Natalie Susa pitched a strong first three frames, allowing a second-inning single to Kedre Luschar and a solo homer to Dezianna Patmon in the third as her only two hits. But in the fourth, Oregon's offense turned things up, tagging Susa for seven runs before adding five more in the fifth. 

That powerful offensive showing was matched by a strong appearance in the circle from Lyndsey Grein, who picked up her 20th win of the season, the most of any pitcher in the country this year. She ran into some trouble in the first inning as a hit-by-pitch and a walk put two runners on base, but her catcher, Braiesey Rosa, gunned down a runner trying to swipe third before Grein fanned her second batter of the inning to work out of the jam. She only allowed two more baserunners — a single in the second and a walk in the fourth — before giving way to Staci Chambers to close out the win.

Despite the offensive outburst, Oregon only totaled two extra-base hits in the game, Patmon's homer in the third and a Rylee McCoy double in the fourth. Instead, the Ducks relied more on the hit parade approach to offense, smacking seven base knocks in their seven-run fourth inning and five in their five-run fifth. Four different Ducks tallied multiple base hits, led by three from Kedre Luschar — whose .474 batting average this season not only leads Oregon, but ranks as a top 10 mark in the country.

Notably for the Ducks, Friday's contest marked the return of freshman catcher Emma Cox, who was off to a fantastic start to the season before a foul tip to the chest left her sidelined. Cox was the Big Ten's first Freshman of the Week this season, and has hit .370 with four home runs and 17 RBI across 20 games with Oregon. 

Game 2: Oregon 5, Minnesota 4

The Ducks' series against the Golden Gophers seemingly mirrored the results of their previous series against Michigan, as Oregon's first two games were close wins before they run-ruled the Wolverines in the series finale. Against Minnesota, it was the Ducks' first game that they ended early with a 13-run margin, while their next two games would be close, including a come-from-behind win in the second game that matched the 5-4 score of their comeback win in their second game against Michigan.

Oregon's back was against the ropes as it trailed until the final two innings. After a clean first two innings, shortstop Taylor Krapf tagged Duck starter Elise Sokolsky for a two-run homer in the third that put Minnesota ahead. Oregon's offense put runners on base in each of the first five innings, but a Kai Luschar caught stealing in the first and an inability to hit with runners in scoring position ensured that the Ducks were held scoreless. 

When Ayanna Shaw led off the top of the sixth with a pinch-hit double to center, it finally gave Oregon's offense the spark it had needed. After Patmon attempted to bunt her over to third and reached on a Gopher error, Cox broke the scoring open for the Ducks with a double to plate Shaw. Kaylynn Jones walked to load the bases before Kai Luschar sent a base hit through the right side of the infield to score Patmon and tie the game.

Looking to finally take the lead in the seventh, McCoy was hit by a pitch and pinch run for to lead off the inning before Kedre Luschar drove her team-best 13th double into right field to give Oregon two early runners in the inning. Katie Flannery followed by squaring for a perfect bunt, reaching first as Presley Lawton (running for McCoy) slid across home to take the lead. The Ducks were able to add to it when Flannery stole second, and an error brought Luschar home to score.

After Cox added a third run in the top of the inning with a sacrifice fly to plate Flannery, Grein — who had relieved Sokolsky in the fourth — returned to close out the game. She walked the leadoff batter before recording a strikeout, but another walk put two runners on base, setting up Nani Valencia's double to cut into Oregon's lead.

Lombardi decided to call on Sokolsky again, who sat down the first batter she faced looking for the second out. A single was able to bring another run home while moving Valencia over to third, but Sokolsky induced a grounder to Jones at second that stranded the tying run 60 feet away from home. 

Game 3: Oregon 5, Minnesota 4

The weekend's third game matched its second on the scoreboard, but Oregon achieved its final two wins of the weekend in a very different manner. After trailing for the majority of game two and needing a late-game comeback to come away with the victory, the Ducks never trailed in game three, fending off a Minnesota rally in the sixth inning to hold on for the win.

Oregon left the bases loaded in the first inning and stranded Jones on first in the second, but in the third, Kedre Luschar continued her wicked-hot hitting with her fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot to center that scored Paige Sinicki following a leadoff hit-by-pitch. Luschar finished the weekend 7-of-11 at the plate, driving home three runs while scoring four herself.

The Ducks added three more runs in the top of the fifth to balloon their lead to 5-0. Luschar and Cox led off the inning with a single and a double to quickly put two runners in scoring position. After a pair of strikeouts, Shaw singled to bring home two more runs before stealing second and coming around on Rosa's single to right.

While Oregon's offense was pouring it on from the batter's box, Grein was dominating the Golden Gophers in the circle, shutting them out through the first five frames while conceding just a single base hit. But she finally ran into trouble in the sixth, allowing back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, putting runners on the corners before a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases. Valencia crushed a grand slam over the left-field fence, which would be it for Grein as her five-run lead had suddenly been cut to one.

Sokolsky entered to relieve her, fanning a pair to sandwich a flyout to right and end the inning. Following a quiet top of the seventh, she came back out for the bottom of the frame and sat the Golden Gophers down in order to secure her third save of the season. Grein earned her third win in as many days, adding to her national lead with 22 on the season.

What's next?

The Ducks will make the short drive up I-5 on Wednesday evening to close out their season series with the Oregon State Beavers, who took the first game at the Jane back in early March before they were run-ruled in game two at the beginning of April. Oregon will then have to prepare for its biggest test as the No. 7 UCLA Bruins come to town. The two titans of the Big Ten will square off for three games this weekend, with first pitch of game one set for 7 PM on Friday.