The entire Jane Sanders crowd stood on its feet, progressively clapping faster and faster as Lyndsey Grein set, up in the count two strikes.

Her pitch found the back of Emma Cox’s glove for the third out of the seventh inning. The Lion’s Den erupted in cheers. The Ducks are headed to Oklahoma City. 

No. 16 Oregon (53-8, 19-3 Big Ten) advanced to its first Women’s College World Series since 2018 following its 13-1 victory over Liberty (50-15, 23-3 CUSA) on Saturday.

“I think of all the other versions before Version 7 that pushed hard for us to get to where we needed to, and this would not be possible without any of our versions,” head coach Melyssa Lombardi said. “Just to see us early on to get punched in the face a couple times and have to just get up and keep fighting and keep fighting and keep believing in what we’re doing, and then just passing along the torch every year.”

The Ducks walked off the Flames 3-2 in eight innings on Friday, thanks to another heroic moment by Dezianna Patmon in this NCAA Tournament. It put Oregon in a prime position to punch its ticket to Oklahoma City on Saturday, especially with one of Liberty’s best arms, Elena Escobar, pitching the full game.

Kai Luschar started the game by stealing second base. The Flames’ coaching staff challenged that she left early, which they did twice on Friday. For the first time in the Super Regional, Luschar’s steal was upheld, tying the Big Ten season record.

The drama continued when Liberty used their second challenge at the top of the first. This time, the challenge was that Lushcar was caught stealing third. The call was overturned and the Jane Sander crowd exploded in boos.

The reversed call sent it to the bottom of the first, where Grein started in the circle for the fifth time in six tournament games. Leadoff hitter Savannah Woodard blasted the 1-1 pitch out of right field to take an early lead. Rachel Roupe kept things rolling with a single, but Grein responded by striking out the next three batters swinging.

Grein finished with 10 strikeouts in seven innings. She retired 19-straight batters after giving up the first two hits.

“Securing last night, having the bullpen staff that we do have, it just makes it so free to pitch,” Grein said. “Then on top of that, you added an outstanding defense and outstanding offense. My job is really the easy part compared to what these guys do.”

Ducks shortstop Paige Sinicki hit a solo shot of her own to the right of The Bob in center field to lead off the second. A walk, a single and another walk loaded the bases to send it to the top of the order and force a pitching change.

Luschar singled to shortstop as Patmon reached home. The Flames’ throw to first wasn’t in time, and Oregon had its first lead of the day.

The Ducks took a multiple-run advantage in the fourth with back-to-back doubles that scored the third run of the game for Oregon.

Cox stepped up to the plate in the fifth with runners on first and second and a major opportunity. Cox knew the ball was gone as soon as it left her bat, lifting her arms in the air as she recorded the three-RBI homer.

Oregon found the bases loaded again at the top of the seventh. Freshman Kaylynn Jones and Luschar both knocked in a run, then Kedre Luschar sent two more home. Stefini Ma’ake walked to reload the bases.

Sinicki nearly sent another shot out of the stadium, but hit it over the Liberty right fielder’s glove to secure a three-RBI triple. Sinicki is part of the Ducks’ senior class, which played their final game at the Jane on Saturday.

“We’ve talked all year about our young athletes and what they’ve done, but to me, the way that they are all performing is because of the leadership that they are under,” Lombardi said. “This group has held it to a high standard from day one, and have taught them how to become upperclassmen this year.”

Version 7’s journey continues, as Oregon heads to Oklahoma City next for the WCWS, which begins on May 29.

“There is no ceiling,” Grein said about the team. “There will never be a ceiling for this group. I think we can accomplish whatever we put our minds to.”