Six of Taylour Spencer’s nine batters faced came around to score during her relief outing, putting the Ducks in a three-run hole. One that proved insurmountable Saturday afternoon in Salt Lake City.
The fourth inning of No. 24 Oregon’s (15-10, 4-2 Pac-12 ) 10 -7 loss to Utah (14-11, 1-4 Pac-12) was a prime example of why a strong bullpen is so essential in a talented conference..
After a 20-run outburst yesterday, Oregon’s offense started right where it left off. Ariel Carlson opened Saturday’s scoring with a solo home run off of Mariah Lopez. She swatted her seventh shot of the season out to left-center and gave the Ducks the lead just two batters in.
Stevie Hansen got the nod for Oregon and had an average outing. She immediately gave the Utes their first lead of the series in the bottom of the first. Hansen was tagged for three hits — all singles — in the frame, one of which came off the bat of Julia Jimenez who brought home a pair.
Oregon immediately struck back, bringing nine batters to the plate in a three-run second inning. Paige Sinicki drove home a run on a fielder’s choice before Hannah Delgado drove in another on a single to left. Sinicki would score on a wild pitch before Alyssa Daniell doubled home two more.
Lopez got the start for the Utes and had a wildly inconsistent outing. After allowing seven runs over the first three innings, the southpaw blanked the Ducks over the final four frames, earning a complete-game victory.
Unlike yesterday’s contest, Utah wouldn’t go down. Abby Dayton tripled and was brought home by a Kaylah Nelson single, the one run would be all Utah could muster… for the time being.
Hansen’s day was over after allowing three runs over 3.0 innings. She was relieved by Spencer to start the fourth. Spencer struggled mightily as she allowed six runs — five earned — and threw just 57% strikes.
Spencer allowed one-run and two-run doubles to Reese Lee and Haley Denning before a passed ball got by Emma Kauf, knotting the score at seven.
Head coach Melyssa Lombardi left Spencer in to begin the fifth, but the freshman promptly allowed the first two batters to reach base. With runners on first and second, Lombardi elected to bring Friday’s starter, Morgan Scott, into the game in relief.
A pair of singles brought home both inherited runners in to score before an untimely error by Katie Flannery brought home another to give the Utes a 10-7 advantage with just two innings to play.
Oregon mustered just two baserunners over the final two innings. The same offense that exploded for seven runs early was nowhere to be found.
The Ducks went a measly 1-8 with two outs, while Utah went 4-11 with four RBIs.
The powerful offense the Ducks flashed early sputtered out. The rubber match of this three-game series is set for 10 a.m. on Sunday.
