It was a pitching battle between No. 3 Oregon and No. 25 BYU at Jane Sanders Stadium on Thursday.
Freshman Miranda Elish got the start for the Ducks, who returned home after beating Utah in a doubleheader on Saturday, and allowed no runs on five hits. Fellow freshman pitcher Maggie Balint relieved Elish and retired the final five batters of the game, securing the Ducks’ 1-0 win over the Cougars.
Oregon, now 30-0, remains the lone undefeated team nationally.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the sixth, when Alexis Mack and Danica Mercado reached first and second. Gwen Svekis struck out swinging, then Nikki Udria knocked an RBI single down the first base line to score Mack.
The Ducks thwarted the Cougars’ best chance to score in the first inning. With BYU runners on the corners, the runner at first faked a steal to second base, drawing a throw from the catcher Svekis as the runner at third bolted for home. But a speedy throw back home from shortstop Udria was quick enough to nab the runner at the plate.
The Cougars had another chance in the top of the fifth, but Oregon turned a 6-4-3 double play to send the still-scoreless game to the bottom half of the frame.
Balint relieved Elish in the top of the sixth after Elish surrendered a hit. She struck out all five batters she faced to close out the game.
Oregon will take on No. 21 Arizona State in a three-game series at Jane Sanders Stadium starting Friday.
Follow Shawn Medow on Twitter @ShawnMedow
Freshman pitchers push Oregon softball to 30th-straight win
Shawn Medow
March 29, 2017
It was a pitching battle between No. 3 Oregon and No. 25 BYU at Jane Sanders Stadium on Thursday. Freshman Miranda Elish got the start for the Ducks, who returned home after beating Utah in a doubleheader on Saturday, and allowed no runs on five hits. Fellow freshman pitcher Maggie Balint …
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