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Oregon Ducks baseball and softball opened their Pac-12 series with wins behind plenty of offensive firepower, even as they rolled their opponents differently.
Softball -
Oregon softball traveled to the Bay Area for a series against the California Golden Bears, with the Ducks sitting in third place in conference play and the Bears in sixth place. Oregon’s nine runs came mostly from small ball effort, with only one solo home run contributing to the final score.
Morgan Scott gave herself a great birthday present and pitched another complete game opening win. Scotty had only one run off nine Cal hits, with two Ks and no walks.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!@Morgan_Scotty11 - getting the start on her birthday - gets the called third strike to end the first inning.
— Oregon Softball (@OregonSB) April 28, 2023
E1 | Ducks 1, Cal 0#GoDucks | #Version5 pic.twitter.com/Lsn0Nv6LMi
Oregon scored in each of the first four innings, and California’s inability to bring runners home (the Bears left nine on base today) proved costly.
The Ducks’ first run was made possible by a Kai Luschar single that turned into her ending up on third because of a Cal error.
Bring the havoc!!!
— Oregon Softball (@OregonSB) April 28, 2023
The speed of @kaileeee___ nets a run for the Ducks in the top of the first. After an infield single that caused a two-base throwing error, Kai scores the first run of the game on an RBI ground out by @Allee_Bunker.
M1 | Ducks 1, Cal 0#GoDucks | #Version5 pic.twitter.com/YYgQ5rW2Cz
Allee Bunker hit a sacrifice ground out that scored Luschar, and Oregon’s first run.
Bunker made some noise again in the second inning, capping the four-run effort with a two-run double.
She hits doubles and drives in runs!!!@Allee_Bunker shoots one into the left-center gap to drive in two runs. Her team-leading 12th double
— Oregon Softball (@OregonSB) April 28, 2023
T2 | Ducks 4, Cal 0#GoDucks | #Version5 pic.twitter.com/12EEI3ei08
Terra McGowan’s sacrifice fly to follow put the Ducks up 5-0.
The lone run for the Bears came in the bottom of the second inning, and that’s all they would be able to generate.
KK Humphreys increased the Oregon lead to 6-1 with a solo home run in the third inning.
Cal gets one back in B2 before @_kaykayy13 goes the opposite way for a solo home run!
— Oregon Softball (@OregonSB) April 28, 2023
M3 | Ducks 6, Cal 1#GoDucks | #Version5 pic.twitter.com/dVv7c7vHCR
The rest of Oregon’s runs were icing on the cake, and the game was only a question of whether the Ducks could run rule Cal into an early end of the game. They ultimately could not, but still won going away.
When a softball pitcher has nine hits and one run, that likely means their defense has been active, and that was the case in this game. Check out these great catches by Hannah Delgado in the fifth and seventh innings:
NOT TODAY!@hanndelgado44 with the sliding catch to end the bottom of the fifth.
— Oregon Softball (@OregonSB) April 28, 2023
E5 | Ducks 8, Cal 1#GoDucks | #Version5 pic.twitter.com/wz0CzqABZV
Another terrific #webgem by @hanndelgado44 in center!!!
— Oregon Softball (@OregonSB) April 29, 2023
B7 | Ducks 9, Cal 1#GoDucks | #Version5 pic.twitter.com/PFdE4UPemV
Oregon took the first series game from Cal by the final score of 9-1.
Allee Bunker was a scoring demon today, going 3-4 with four RBIs.
Coach Melyssa Lombardi had these comments after the game:
Hear from coach @MelyssaLombardi following the Ducks' 11th win in a row.#GoDucks | #Version5 pic.twitter.com/1ktavkMtZc
— Oregon Softball (@OregonSB) April 29, 2023
Oregon softball now sports an 11-game win streak. Their last 11-game win streak was last season, but the context is completely different; last season’s streak came early, in non-conference play, whereas this streak is at the end of the season in the heat of Pac-12 play.
The Ducks will try to make it 12 in a row when they go for the series win on Saturday. Watch the game on split-screen, because it starts at the same time as the Spring Game, at 1:00 pm PT.
Baseball -
Oregon baseball enters a crucial home stand against Arizona State. The Sun Devils were atop the Pac-12 standings before this game, and with the loss have fallen to second place, with the Ducks pulling up into third place.
@jstoffal9 with the regular Friday night start.
— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) April 28, 2023
Watch https://t.co/VUIyWBZhHM
Listen https://t.co/bxMwp3wAcn
Stats https://t.co/8fVOgd6ynj#GoDucks | #SeeYouAtPK pic.twitter.com/XJmmJOlMs8
Jace Stoffal got the Friday start again, and overall pitched very well against #12 ASU. Stoffal would pitch 6.2 innings, and when he was relieved the Ducks sported a comfortable 9-2 advantage.
T1 | ' @jstoffal9 holds the Sun Devils scoreless while fanning one. #GoDucks
— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) April 29, 2023
Arizona State 0
Oregon 0 pic.twitter.com/QCVFIDG52M
Drew Cowley opening up the scoring in the first inning with this solo home run:
B1 | Boom
— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) April 29, 2023
Drew Cowley strikes early with a bomb to left center. #GoDucks
Arizona State 0
Oregon 1 pic.twitter.com/r5lhwcn7td
The teams went scoreless in the second inning, and then in the top of the third the Sun Devils tied the game, 1-1.
T3 | Huge head's up play from @balholm, who steals second as the pitcher decides to pitch from the wind up.
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) April 29, 2023
That puts him in scoring position and @Luke_Hill22 does the rest with this nice piece of hitting.
1-1, in the third. pic.twitter.com/1A0V7r9wJY
In the bottom of the third it was Colby Shade’s turn to go yard.
B3 | ⚡@ColbyShade strikes back with a bomb to left field. Ducks up by one. #GoDucks
— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) April 29, 2023
Arizona State 1
Oregon 2 pic.twitter.com/ZUVYpmn8gs
The top of the fourth inning ended with a very unusual double play by the Ducks, one that has to be seen to be believed:
T4 | @jstoffal9 with a strikeout at the plate and hitters interference, the home plate umpire calls the runner at second out. #GoDucks
— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) April 29, 2023
Arizona State 1
Oregon 2 pic.twitter.com/dXxielCj04
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Oregon unloaded for seven runs, including this Drew Cowley grand slam.
B4 |
— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) April 29, 2023
Drew Cowley with a 2-out grand slam to left-center. This is Cowley's second HR of the game. #GoDucks
Arizona State 1
Oregon 9 pic.twitter.com/dBOISjp0zP
After a scoreless fifth inning, the Sun Devils scored a run in the sixth and Oregon answered in the bottom to make the score 10-2. Colby Shade added another RBI with this double:
B6 | @ColbyShade doubles to right center to score @A5D0l. #GoDucks
— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) April 29, 2023
Arizona State 2
Oregon 10 pic.twitter.com/Vjw3Im29VE
In the seventh, Joe Walsh launched a solo homer to give the Ducks 11 runs.
B7 | @JGWalsh_ blasts a moon shot to right field to add another run for the Ducks. Walsh's 12th home run of the season. #GoDucks
— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) April 29, 2023
Arizona State 2
Oregon 11 pic.twitter.com/NttnY5Iyq7
The Sun Devils scored three more runs in the late innings, but it was never going to be enough, and Oregon gets the opening win by the score of 11-5.
Jace Stoffal (6-2) won another Friday start, and this one is especially impressive given the batting talent of Arizona State.
Drew Cowley went 2-5, and both of his hits were long ball shots that scored five RBIs. Rikuu Nishida and Colby Shade both brought home two across the plate.
' @CoachWazUO says its about putting in the work before the game and surrounding players with a quality staff. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/ZDasTnqUWJ
— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) April 29, 2023
Saturday’s game against the Sun Devils is a 3:05 pm PT, and will be starting as the Spring Game wraps up. It will be a sellout, so you can watch the game on Oregon Live Stream.
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