No. 17 Oregon softball (10-4) continued its 2019 season with a doubleheader in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Saturday against Texas A&M and Texas Tech.
The Ducks beat the Aggies in a come-from-behind win to start their day before falling to the Red Raiders in the second game.
Here’s how the day’s action unfolded:
Texas A&M
After going up 2-0 in the first inning, Oregon went behind in the second and trailed until the sixth before winning the game 7-5 with go-ahead runs in the final inning.
Jordan Dail (8-0) was in the circle again for the Ducks and surrendered a three-run home run in the second and a solo shot in the fourth as Texas A&M went out to a 5-2 lead.
In the sixth, the Ducks responded as Allee Bunker scored Shaye Bowden on a single, advancing Cherish Burks to second. Bunker and Burks went on to score when Lexi Wagner hit a two-out two-RBI single to tie the ball game.
The Ducks scored the game-winning runs in the seventh inning through two fielding errors. Dail returned to the circle and retired the side to close out the game and earn her eighth win in an Oregon uniform.
Dail finished the game with five strikeouts while allowing six hits and two walks. Bowden’s three RBIs led the team behind the catcher’s 2-for-4 hitting.
Texas Tech
Maddie MacGrandle was in the circle for the Ducks for game two of the day. The sophomore didn’t have much help from her bats as the Ducks were blanked 5-0 by the Red Raiders.
MacGrandle threw eight strikeouts over six innings while allowing five runs on five hits. On the other end, Texas Tech pitcher Erin Edmoundson allowed just three hits while striking out eight in a complete game shutout win.
The Ducks’ hits came from Haley Cruse, Rachel Cid and Bailey Cook, but each hit came in separate innings.
Oregon couldn’t muster another comeback in the seventh inning and the team is now 3-2 on the weekend.
The Ducks play UC Santa Barbara on Sunday at 9 a.m. to close out the tournament in Cathedral City, California, ahead of the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, California, next week.
Follow Shawn Medow on Twitter @ShawnMedow
