Ducks Sweep Double-Header From Beavers at Corvallis

The skies cleared - mostly anyway - and Oregon and Oregon State were able to get in two games in Corvallis this afternoon, making up for yesterday’s rained out Game 1. The first game featured lots of offense, the second a pitching duel, but Oregon proved its flexibility, winning both games to also win the series. It was the Ducks 6th and 7th consecutive wins over Oregon State.

GAME 1

In the first game of the double-header, Oregon took advantage of a large number of Oregon State miscues - including 4 official errors and several more plays that probably should have been scored as errors. Morgan Scott started in the circle for the Ducks and got the win in a game that was much closer than the 10 - 4 final score indicates. The Ducks really kept the pressure on the Beavers in this game, as Oregon’s lead-off hitter reached base in every inning. It was the largest number of runs the Ducks have scored since an early March game against Cal Poly in the Judy Garmin Classic and the third most of the season.

Oregon jumped out to a 2 - 0 lead in the top of the first as Hanna Delgado reached base on an error, a play that really set the tone for Oregon State’s fielding efforts on the day. After Delgado stole 2nd and Terra McGowan walked, Allie Bunker laced a double down the left field line, scoring both runners. Oregon would not score again in the inning, although Alyssa Daniell would reach base after her swing attempt at a third strike would run past the catcher to the backstop. Scott would set the Beavers down in order in the 1st.

The Ducks would score again in the top of the 2nd. Tehya Bird led off with a double to left and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Paige Sinicki. Another sacrifice - by McGowan on a fly ball to left - would score Bird from third and Oregon led 3 - 0. OSU managed a hit in the bottom of the second but did not threaten. In the third, Oregon would strike again. Daniell led off with a walk and Kai Luschar came on to pinch run and promptly stole second. After a strikeout, Kedra Luschar drove a ball to left field that turned into a triple, plated her sister and gave the Ducks a 4 - 0 lead.

The Beavers would finally get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. Scott walked the lead-off hitter but Oregon would turn a double play.

But then, Scott would hit the next batter and give up a double and a home run to plate three Beavers and close the game to 4 - 3. The sequence was unfortunate, because Scott left the home run pitch a bit up and over the plate to the Beavers power hitter Frankie Hammoud which is definitely not what she intended to throw.

Oregon continued to apply the offensive pressure, however, scoring twice more in the top of the 4th inning. Delgado singled to open the inning and McGowan followed with a walk. Bunker sacrificed both runners ahead a base with a bunt to the pitcher. After a strikeout, another Beaver error allowed Daniell to reach first and Delgado to score. Ariel Carlson then walked to load the bases and Kedra Luschar reached base on an infield single, scoring McGowan from third. In either a miscommunication or coaching error, Daniell also tried to score on the play but was easily thrown out at home to end the inning. Despite some aggressive baserunning, the Beavers could not score in their half of the 4th, and Oregon also failed to score in the top of the 5th.

Another baserunning error in that inning by the Ducks knocked out a scoring chance when Remmington Hewitt - in as a pinch runner - was caught off second on a line out for a double play.

The Beavers would score once more to cut the Duck lead to 6 - 4 in the bottom of the 5th inning. A two-out single and stolen base brought up Hammoud again, and she doubled in the Beavers final run of the game. Oregon did not score in the 6th, and Reagan Breedlove came on in relief of Scott for the Beavers half of that inning.

Breedlove gave up just a single hit and no runs, so Oregon would come into the 7th inning looking for insurance runs. Kedra Luschar got things rolling with a single to right and a steal of second. Bird walked and a groundout advanced both runners. Delgado was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and a subsequent error on a grounder to second base hit by McGowan scored both Luschar and Bird. Bunker then singled and scored both Delgado and McGowan and although Bunker would move into scoring position by stealing second and KK Humphreys would walk, a strikeout and a groundout would complete the Oregon scoreline. Breedlove would again give up only a single in the bottom of the 7th, and Oregon’s defense closed out the 10 - 4 win.

Scott got the win for the Ducks, pitching 5 innings and giving up 7 hits and the 4 Beaver runs. She struck out 2, walked 2 and hit one batter. Breedlove earned the save, giving up no runs and 2 hits in 2 innings. Bunker was 4 - 4 with 4 RBI and Kedre Luschar was 3 - 4 with 2 RBI. The Ducks had 10 hits and stranded 11 runners - the third straight game in which Oregon has had double-digits in that statistic. It’s hard not to give a tip of the cap to the Beavers for their help in this one. In addition to 4 errors and another several botched defensive plays that were not scored as errors, Beaver pitching walked 6 Duck batters, hit another one and gave up a baserunner on a wild pitch.

Game 2

Although the outcome was the same, today’s Game 2 could not have been more different from the earlier tilt. An old-fashioned pitcher’s duel broke out, with Oregon’s Stevie Hansen pitching 6.1 innings of shutout ball and scattering 4 hits in a 2 - 0 Duck victory. Reagan Breedlove again came on late to earn her second save of the day.

The game’s only scoring came in the top of the third inning. The Ducks loaded the bases with one out on a Tehya Bird walk, a Paige Sinicki hit-by-pitch and a Hanna Delgado infield single. Bird was then thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice, leaving the bases loaded for Terra McGowan. McGowan walked to drive in Sinicki and then a wild pitch brought in Delgado to give Oregon its 2 - 0 lead. The Beavers threatened with a 2-out double in the 4th, but when the runner could not score on a following single, Hansen got a harmless pop-up to first base to end the inning. Hansen set the Beavers down in order in the 5th and 6th and while the Beavers managed to get a lead-off double and a walk off Hansen in the 7th, Breedlove came on and was equal to the task.

Hansen got the win for Oregon and Breedlove the save. Hansen walked 2 and struck out 3. The Ducks had just one hit in the game and stranded 3. Oregon has now won 7 straight games against the Beavers.

The two teams will square off in the final game - weather permitting - Sunday at Noon where the Ducks will go for their 2nd consecutive series sweep over the Beavers.