The Oregon Ducks (17-10, 5-2 Pac-12) defeated the Arizona State Sun Devils (17-12, 2-5 Pac-12) 3-2 in a dominant pitching performance from Oregon’s Morgan Scott. Scott pitched a complete game for the Ducks while allowing just five hits and two runs in the win.
The Sun Devils jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning. An error from Oregon and a hit from Arizona State’s Tanya Windle put runners in scoring position. ASU’s Jordan VanHook got two RBIs with a single to make the score 2-0 before the Ducks had a chance at the plate.
That first inning was all the offensive action that either team could muster in the early part of the game. Scott would pitch two straight 1-2-3 innings after a somewhat shaky start. On the offensive side, Oregon recorded a hit in each of the first two innings, but were unable to score any runs.
“I thought we started out a little slow,” Melyssa Lombardi, head coach of the team, said. “I thought we hit some balls hard, just couldn’t put some things together. But we stayed with it, stayed with it, kept putting some things together then got what we wanted late in the game.”
The Ducks got into scoring position in the bottom of the third inning when Hanna Delgado led off with a single that allowed her to reach third after a fielding error. However, Oregon was unable to bring her home as the Sun Devils recorded three straight outs to keep the Ducks scoreless.
Alyssa Daniell finally got the scoring started for Oregon in the bottom of the fourth inning with a solo home run. Emma Kauf hit a double shortly after, but was just the latest in a long string of Ducks left on base. Arizona State still led 2-1 after the fourth inning.
“I was just not going to be denied,” Daniell said. “It didn’t matter if the pitch was up here or down there, I’m just going all out on it.”
Despite the offense struggling, the Oregon defense was not giving Arizona State any chances to extend its lead. Scott allowed a hit in the fourth inning – just her third of the game – before recording her third 1-2-3 inning of the game in the top of the fifth.
“I think Morgan threw really, really well,” Lombardi said. “I just thought she got better every inning.”
Similar to the third inning, Delgado hit a triple to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning. However, just like the third inning, the Sun Devils were able to keep their lead intact by recording three straight outs to leave Delgado stranded.
The similarities to earlier innings continued in the bottom of the sixth inning. Daniell hit her second solo home run of the day, finally bringing the Ducks even with Arizona State on the scoreboard. That was the only Oregon hit of the inning as the game went into the seventh inning in a 2-2 tie.
The Sun Devils’ Sarah Kinch got on base with a double, putting the leading run on base. However, Scott was able to close out the inning with two straight outs to record her sixth straight inning without allowing a run. Scott’s dominant performance from the mound gave the Ducks a chance to end the game with a walk-off in the bottom of the seventh inning.
“I think settling in was a big thing,” Scott said about her performance as the game went on. “I think just mentality, too, changed. I wasn’t gonna let that happen again.”
Paige Sinicki was walked to start the inning, putting the winning run on first base for Oregon. Delgado recorded her third hit of the day, ending her game 3 for 3, with a double to advance Sinicki to third base with no outs in the inning. That set up Ariel Carlson perfectly to hit a deep pop-fly that allowed Sinicki to score the winning run after tagging up. The final result was a 3-2 win for the Ducks.
“I feel like every game it just means a little bit more,” Daniell said. “Knowing that we’re coming together, we see it in each other. Confidence one through nine, anybody can get it done.”
Oregon had just eight hits on the game with five coming from Delgado and Daniell. However, the Ducks were able to win the hitting battle 8 to 5 thanks to Scott’s performance.
The Ducks are back in action on Saturday, Mar. 23 at 2 p.m. in the second game of the series against Arizona State.
