No. 24 Oregon softball finishes road trip with series victory over Utah

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah—The No. 24 Oregon Ducks picked up a series win this weekend in Salt Lake City, taking down the Utah Utes two games to one. The Ducks lit up the scoreboard for 20 runs in the first game on Friday before dropping game two on Saturday and riding a strong performance by Elise Sokolsky for a game three win on Sunday. Oregon has now won each of its first two Pac-12 series, beating Cal last weekend.

Game 1: Oregon 20, Utah 3

The Ducks (16-10, 4-2) dominated game one on Friday, running up the score for a 20-3 final on the back of an explosive offensive performance. There must be something about March 15 for the Ducks, as Friday’s 20-run outburst was the most runs they had scored in nine years since they beat the Oregon State Beavers 23-12 on March 15, 2015.

Overall, Oregon racked up 17 hits on the day, with Kai Lucshar and Paige Sinicki each picking up two and Alyssa Daniell, Vallery Wong, and Katie Flannery all managing three base knocks of their own. Friday was only Flannery’s sixth career start as the freshman infielder delivered across the board, reaching base in all five of her plate appearances, thanks to a walk and a hit by pitch while recording her first career extra-base hit and multi-hit game.

The most impressive stat from Friday’s offensive explosion might be that out of the 17 hits the Ducks recorded, only four of them went for extra bases, with none of them being home runs. The Utes (15-11, 1-5) simply couldn’t keep them off the bases, as in addition to the 17 hits, the Ducks added seven walks and were hit by two pitches. As a team on Friday, they hit .500 with an insane .604 on-base percentage. Essentially, the entire team got on base at the same rate as Barry Bonds in 2004, a season in which he intentionally walked a record-setting 120 times.

Not only did the Ducks get on base on Friday, but they also made sure to put themselves in scoring position, stealing six bases while only being caught once. Luschar and KK Humphreys led the way with two steals apiece, while Emma Kauf and Regan Legg each added one. Luschar is now tied for fifth in the country with 18 steals on the season.

Oregon’s pitching was no slouch either as Morgan Scott picked up her sixth win of the season, tossing four innings of two-run ball while striking out three and only allowing five base runners. Raegan Breedlove replaced her in the fifth, allowing three hits and a run, but it wouldn’t matter as the Ducks’ lead was already too great and they won via mercy rule after five innings.

Game 2: Oregon 7, Utah 10

Game two looked like it would go the same way as game one when the Ducks jumped out to an early 6-2 lead after the second inning. Ariel Carlson got the scoring started in the top of the first when she turned on one to send her seventh home run of the season over the left-field fence.

Utah struck back against Oregon starter, Stevie Hansen, in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs on three hits. Vallery Wong led off the top of the third with a double for the Ducks, coming around to score on Katie Flannery’s sacrifice bunt.

The Utes scored again in the bottom of the third, with a two-out triple and a single to bring home the run. That ended Hansen’s day, as she finished allowing three runs on five hits over three innings, picking up a strikeout in the process.

Head coach, Melyssa Lombardi handed the ball to freshman righty, Taylour Spencer, who was celebrating her 19th birthday on Saturday, for the fourth inning. Unfortunately, the Utes were the only ones celebrating in the fourth as they tagged Spencer for four runs on three hits to tie the game.

After Oregon left Emma Kauf stranded in the top of the fifth, Utah led off the bottom of the frame with a single and a four-pitch walk, ending Spencer’s day. She was replaced by Morgan Scott, who immediately threw a wild pitch to move both runners over to scoring position. Scott then gave up a single to give Utah the lead before finally getting the first two outs of the inning on her next two pitches. A four-pitch walk loaded the bases, setting up a single and an error by Flannery to plate two more runs. With the bases loaded, Scott finally got out of the inning with a grounder, but the damage had already been done as the Utes led 10-7.

Each team only put one more runner on base as the Utes held on for the win, tying the series at one game apiece.

Oregon actually hit well with runners in scoring position, going 4-for-8 on the day, which has too often been their downfall in losses this year. The problem this time, no runner made it to scoring position past the fourth inning.

Game 3: Oregon 5, Utah 1

The story of Sunday’s contest was Elise Sokolsky, who shut down the Utah offense for a dominant complete game. She allowed just one run, on three hits, with four strikeouts to three walks. Sokolsky’s ERA now sits at 1.25 this season, the lowest for any Duck.

After the Utes scored first on a solo shot in the bottom of the second, Oregon struck back for four runs in the top of the third. Hanna Delgado led off the inning, finding the gap in right-center and

racing around the bases for a triple. Kai Luschar then reached on an error, setting up Ariel Carlson to bring them all home with a three-run bomb over the left field fence. Carlson now leads the team with eight homers and 31 RBIs.

Vallery Wong then doubled, advancing third when Emma Kauf reached on an error. Kauf tried to steal a second and was gunned down, but in the process, Wong was able to come home, giving Oregon a 4-1 lead.

The Ducks added one more run in the seventh on KK Humphreys’ fourth home run of the season before Sokolsky got a strikeout and two groundouts to put the game away.

Sokolsky excelled in the clutch on Sunday, holding the Utes hitless with runners on base and with runners in scoring position. She allowed three hits and a walk over the first three innings before dialing it up, striking out the side in the fourth and only allowing two more base runners the rest of the game, with only one making it to second base.

Oregon’s season continues next weekend when they host the Arizona State Sundevils (17-11, 2-4). The Sundevils dropped two of three games at home to the Oregon State Beavers this weekend. First pitch of game one is set for 5:00 PM on Friday.