The No. 3 Oregon Ducks softball team defeated Fresno State and California State, Northridge on Friday during a doubleheader in Tempe, Arizona.
Oregon (3-0), held Fresno State scoreless for an 8-0n victory. Pitcher Miranda Elish threw a complete game, allowing one hit while striking out nine. Fresno State’s only hit came in the first inning with two outs, but Elish forced the next batter into a pop-up. Fresno State would only reach base again on a walk.
Offensively, Oregon’s highlight came when Shannon Rhodes and Gwen Svekis hit back-to-bak home runs in the third inning to extend Oregon’s lead to 5-0.
.@ShannonRhodes2 and @g_svekis knock back-to-back dingers for @OregonSB‘s @OpusBank #12Best Moment!#Pac12SB pic.twitter.com/ivBzigBgS6
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) February 9, 2018
In the fifth inning, Oregon freshman Mary Iakopo hit and RBI double, driving in Svekis and extending the lead to 6-0. Iakopo finished the game 3-for-3 with two doubles and one RBI. Senior One batter later, Lauren Lindvall singled to up the middle to score two runs and run-rule Fresno State.
Oregon’s game against California State, Northridge was a higher scoring game.
In the second inning, Lindvall hit a two-RBI double that drove in Svekis and Mia Camuso to give Oregon the 2-0 lead. After ULM-transfer DJ Sanders scored in a passed ball to add one more run, Alexis Mack tripled to drive in Lindvall for a 4-0 lead.
The offense kept coming. Svekis homered again and has three home runs in three games this season. Rhodes hit a home run as well and the Ducks had a 10-0 lead entering the fifth inning.
CSUN cut into Oregon’s lead in the fifth inning. Oregon pitcher Maggie Balint allowed a three-run home run and a sacrifice fly to cut Oregon’s lead to 10-4.
Oregon answered Northridge’s run with a Sanders home run. Sanders led the NCAA in home runs and RBIs last season.
CSUN added two more runs in the sixth inning, but the Ducks answered with four runs to get the 15-6 victory.
Sanders hit a three-run home run for a walk-off as the Ducks run-ruled CSUN.
Hey Duck Fans—- DJ gets ahold of another one #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/cfqleS3fqg
— Holly Svekis (@holsvek) February 10, 2018
Oregon will play another double header on Saturday. The Ducks play Missouri and UTEP tomorrow at at 10:30 a.m. and 6:45 p.m., respectively.
Follow Jack Butler on Twitter @Butler917
