After familiarizing herself with the sixth inning for the first time in 2026, Oregon starter Elise Sokolsky left no questions as to her ability in  unfamiliar territory by finishing a complete-game gem in the seventh.

No. 14 Oregon (36-9) raced ahead of Oregon State (17-30) with a three-run first inning and Sokolsky’s dominant middle innings bought enough time to secure a 7-2 win. Sokolsky’s (CG, 6H, 2R, 7K) first complete game in 385 days brought a moment of reprieve to the Ducks’ chaotic pitching depth.

“It was awesome just to be able to help take on that strain since my pitching staff has been taking on strain for me earlier in the season, so that was a huge motivator for me,” Sokolsky said. 

The Ducks welcomed Oregon State with a hit parade, led off by Elon Butler’s double to right-center field. Beavers pitcher Haydn Milley briefly interrupted by drawing a groundout, but Amari Harper resumed with a single, and Emma Cox drove the first pitch she saw to right-center field to put Oregon ahead 2-0. Cox eventually scored on a Rylee McCoy single before Milley escaped the inning.

“You could just see how much these guys are passing bat,” Oregon head coach Melyssa Lombardi said.
”We’re not having to just have a couple do it — you can see the entire team is taking on strain, which I think is really important right now.”

The Beavers’ lineup woke up in the top of the second inning, putting Sokolsky in a one out, first-and-second jam. After a meeting with Lombardi, Sokolsky drew a pop-out and overcame four straight foul balls in a 2-2 count to earn an inning-ending strikeout and an emphatic celebration.

Sokolsky stranded runners at first in both the third and fourth innings, striking out three straight to do so the second time. 

“One thing we like to talk about is just doing it one pitch at a time,” Sokolsky said. “Each pitch has its own life, and it goes by, 
so whenever something that doesn’t go our way happens, I like to leave it behind, and the next pitches are something entirely new.”

Taryn Ho and Shaw finally got to Milley with back-to-back one-out singles in the bottom of the fourth, but Milley drew two flyouts, stranding another Duck at third base.

Butler grounded a triple down the first base line in the fifth inning. After the Ducks struggled to advance runners those final 60 feet all game, Emma Cox showed how simple it could’ve been, chopping a routine ground ball to the shortstop that brought Butler home on an error at first base.

Stefini Ma’ake made it a rally by lining an RBI double to right-center field, chasing Milley. McCoy singled to keep Oregon’s onslaught going, and Ho eventually extended the lead to 6-0 with a sacrifice fly.

Sokolsky was well on her way to stranding another runner at first base in the sixth inning, drawing back-to-back flyouts. Ho got a potential inning-ending groundball at shortstop, but couldn’t make the play, and the defensive miscues spiraled when a Sokolsky throw sailed into center field, scoring both runners.

Butler provided a loud insurance run with two outs in the bottom of the inning, putting Oregon ahead 7-2 with her team-leading 15th home run of the season.

Sokolsky returned for the seventh with no signs of stress from the previous inning or her 104 pitches, drawing two ground outs and a pop out in nine pitches for a gritty complete game.

“I just feel that she’s very strong, physically, mentally, I think she’s just in a great spot right now,” Lombardi said. “These seniors, this is it, you know? They want to go out on their terms. They want to do things their way. There’s just still so much to do, and you can just feel that from her.”

Oregon returns to Jane Sanders Stadium on Friday against Ohio State, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.