Last week, Oregon softball looked untouchable as the Ducks’ performance saw them skyrocket in the polls.
In Friday night’s home encore at Jane Sanders Stadium, Melyssa Lombardi’s group had to be unbreakable instead.
After a five-run fifth inning from San Diego — despite the Toreros having just one hit entering the frame — the Ducks had to kindle some late-inning magic to defeat a pesky San Diego (7-12) team 9-5.
A fielder’s-choice RBI from Dez Patmon and a costly error from the Toreros helped push the Ducks over the top. Oregon took advantage of three walks, an error, a wild pitch and just one hit in the bottom of the fifth to reclaim the lead.
The Ducks gave Sokolsky some early support, manufacturing a pair of runs in the first on a two-run single from Rylee McCoy. Then, they added on another in the third on another McCoy single.
McCoy (2-4, .465 batting average on the season) also maintained her blistering pace in the early season, slapping a pair of RBI hits that helped the Ducks get out to an early lead they would soon relinquish.
Elise Sokolsky and Lyndsey Grein looked like they would epitomize another stress-free win after Sokolsky faced one batter over the minimum over her first four innings of work. But she soon ran into trouble and — really for the first time all season — Grein (10-0, 1.13 ERA) looked human.
Leading by two runs entering the top of the fifth, the right-hander was summoned to face the bottom of the Toreros’ lineup with two runners in scoring position.
Catcher Braiesey Rosa worsened the jam moments later, allowing a passed ball to cut the lead to just one. Grein then did herself no favors either, allowing four-straight baserunners before a two-run single from Kaitlyn Wynia gave San Diego a 5-3 lead.
But the Ducks, as they have all season, punched back when it mattered most — with Patmon, Stefini Ma’ake and Kai Luschar putting the ball in play and Grein (two innings, one earned run) settling in and closing out the contest.
Oregon added another in the sixth when Katie Flannery tripled and came in on a passed ball. Grein retired her last seven batters and earned the win.
It took the Ducks until March 17 of last year to reach the 16-win mark. They’ll have a chance to add another shortly, taking on Portland State (4-12) at 7:05.
