The Oregon Ducks (29-20) fell 6-3 to the No. 2 seeded Oklahoma Sooners (51-6) after a dominant pitching performance from Oklahoma’s Kelly Maxwell. Oregon was only able to manage one hit in the first six innings of the game as the Sooners put the game out of reach of a late comeback attempt.
The Ducks took a chance to take an early lead over the Sooners in the first inning. Ariel Carlson hit a solo-shot to left field to put the first run on the board in the game. However, that was the only hit managed by Oregon in the inning as Oklahoma’s Kelly Maxwell was able to strike out two batters to keep the lead at 1-0.
That lead would not last the inning. The Sooners struck back in the bottom of the inning. Morgan Scott walked the first batter of the inning, then Tiare Jennings doubled to put runners on second and third. A sac-fly from Kasidi Pickering scored a runner, then Jennings made it home on a single from Alyssa Brito. Scott was able to end the inning, but the lead had been stolen as Oklahoma led 2-1 after the first inning.
That first inning on offense from Oregon could have got some momentum in its favor, but Maxwell shut down that thought quickly. After hitting a batter in the second inning, she was perfect through her next five innings in the circle. The Ducks could not manage a hit to get back on the scoreboard through the sixth inning.
However, the defense of Oregon began to show up after allowing a pair of runs in the first. Scott allowed just one more hit in the next two innings, before Elise Sokolsky took over in the circle in the fourth inning. Sokolsky allowed just one hit of her own to keep the score at 2-1 through four innings.
That all changed in the bottom of the fifth inning. Ella Parker got on base with a single, then Jennings added more to the lead with a two-run homer. Taylour Spencer took over in the circle and was able to close out the inning without allowing any more runs to be tacked on. The Sooners looked to be in complete control with a 4-1 lead after five innings.
A fourth straight 1-2-3 inning from Maxwell put Oklahoma back up on offense to try and put the game out of reach. Jayda Coleman singled to left field to put the first runner on base for the Sooners. Parker then pushed the lead even further with a two-run homer to make the lead 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Oregon finally showed signs of life in the top of the seventh inning. Maxwell was replaced in the circle by Karlie Keeney to start the inning, and that proved to be just the opening the Ducks needed. Emma Kauf led off the inning with a homer for just the second hit of the game for Oregon.
Vallery Wong followed that up with a double to deep left field, then Katie Flannery singled to score the second run of the inning for the Ducks. That proved to be enough for the Sooners to put Maxwell right back into the game. Maxwell continued her stellar play with a strikeout, then stopping a hard shot right back to the circle to secure a double play and end the comeback attempt.
With the loss, Oregon falls into the elimination game where they will take on the winner between the Boston University Terriers and the Cleveland State Vikings at 5:00 p.m. tonight.
