Arizona State put runs on the board but No. 3-ranked Oregon had an answer every time.
It took four innings for Oregon to take the lead in the Ducks’ second game of a three-game series against No. 21 Arizona State. It also took all three pitchers to extinguish the Sun Devils’ offense. Nevertheless, Oregon held on to win 8-4 and keep its perfect 32-0 record intact.
“Today was, ‘You gotta do what you gotta do to win,’” head coach Mike White said. “I was hoping that Miranda [Elish] could get through that last inning there.”
The Ducks and Sun Devils remained scoreless after the first but both teams knocked home a run in the second to break the deadlock.
“I’m happy we came back you know each time they scored in the first couple innings we came back and scored straight away, so that was great on our offense,” White said.
Oregon’s Alexis Mack scored Jenna Lilley via a double to give the Ducks with their first run of the game, tying the game.
Miranda Elish came in to relieve Kleist in the third after Arizona State scored two runs for a 3-1 lead.
Shannon Rhodes tied things up for the Ducks with a two-run home run to left field after Mia Camuso made her way to second with a two-out double. The home run was a turning point in the game.
“It really helped swing it,” White said. “That got us pumped up I think and we continued to roll.”
Elish returned to the circle in the top of the fourth with the score tied 3-3 and halted the Sun Devils’ attack by relaying a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, Oregon kept its scoring going. With two on and no out, Mack bunted, reached first and the throw from Arizona State pitcher Giselle Juarez was unplayable, which allowed Lauren Lindvall to score and runners to advance.
The Ducks continued scoring after a Gwen Svekis bunt allowed Sammie Puentes to get home as the center fielder beat the tag at the plate. Oregon added one more run through a sacrifice fly from Udria to score Mack.
“I think that momentum goes either way,” Rhodes. “It definitely helps when one person gets something going and it’s contagious.”
The fifth inning featured strong Oregon defense. Offensively, the runs continued with a Lindvall sacrifice fly to score Rhodes to make it 7-3 but the lead was reduced to 7-4 in the sixth.
The Ducks made it 8-4 when Rhodes batted home Udria in the sixth.
Elish returned to the circle to close the game out but with one out and runners at second and third, White sent Balint in to finish off the job. Balint got out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam to end the game.
“I think that’s the way Maggie operates — she gets me on the edge of my seat,” White said.
Oregon takes on Arizona State again in the final game of the series on Sunday at 12 p.m.
Follow Shawn Medow on Twitter @ShawnMedow