With a comfortable 10-1 lead towards the end of the fourth inning of game one on Saturday, Allee Bunker stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded. She slammed the ball down the left field line and over the fence at Jane Sanders Stadium for a grand slam.
Bunker finished game one 2-4 with 4 RBI as the Ducks won 14-1, bringing in the mercy rule, which ended the game in the fifth inning.
“I try to keep the same mindset every at-bat, but in bigger moments you do have a little more anxious energy,” Bunker said. “I just happened to get the right pitch to send it over the fence.”
Following their first win of the day, the Ducks would go on to win game two by a score of 10-2, extending their winning streak to 11 games. Through rain and shine, the Ducks were able to implement the mercy rule in both games Saturday, building momentum as they head into Pac-12 play next weekend.
Oregon couldn’t get its offense going through the first two innings of game one, only leading 1-0 headed into the third. Sophomore pitcher Makenna Kliethermes was stellar through the first three innings, allowing only one hit and counting eight strikeouts. Kliethermes was credited with the win, playing four of five innings.
While Kliethermes kept the Bison quiet on offense, the Ducks began to take over in the third inning. Back-to-back doubles by Hannah Delgado and Vallery Wong boosted the Ducks lead to 2-0. A few batters later, Paige Sinicki singled up the middle to score two more Ducks, capping off a four-hit, four-run third inning.
In the fourth inning, the Ducks exploded for six hits and nine runs, putting an early finish to game one. Hanna Galey’s lead off homer kicked the inning off as the Ducks would roll to victory.
Oregon finished game one batting .500 (13-26) compared to NDSU’s 4-19. Ariel Carlson, Sinicki and Herrera all went 2-3 and combined for five RBI.
Oregon’s offense was able to close out the Bison early once again in game two.
The Ducks got off to an early 3-0 lead after two innings with help from Wong’s homer and a Galey single that scored two runners.
Right-handed pitcher Stevie Hansen was a huge factor in the Ducks second win of the day.
The freshman played a season-high six innings and struck out seven Bison, tying her season best. Hansen finished with a game ERA of 1.53, allowing only three hits.
“She’s always composed on the mound, but that was some tough rain that she dealt with at the end and I thought she handled it really really well,” head coach Melyssa Lombardi said.
With the Ducks leading 7-2 and the bases loaded in the sixth inning, Bunker had a chance to extend her hit streak to 12 games and put the mercy rule in effect once again. She singled, which scored two runners, while an NDSU error sent a third runner home to end the game at 10-2.
“I think this group is a really confident group right now,” Lombardi said. “With themselves as individuals, as a team, trusting in each other, I think they are in a great place to go into the Pac.”
With the pair of wins, Oregon moves to 19-3 on the season. The Ducks will attempt to extend their win streak to 12 games in Salt Lake City Friday, starting a three-game series against Utah.
