The No. 22 Oregon Ducks (25-16, 11-8 Pac-12) got shutout 3-0 by the Oregon State Beavers (87-24, 6-11 Pac-12) to turn Sunday’s game into a series-deciding rubber match. Oregon’s defense was solid for most of the game, but the offense was unable to put any pressure on Oregon State in the game.
“I think we win as a team, lose as a team,” Elise Sokolsky said. “I just know, no matter what, we go together. So, if it was a win it would’ve been great, if it’s a loss, come back stronger tomorrow.”
Sokolsky started the game in the circle for the Ducks, and was almost perfect through the first four innings. She walked just one batter and kept the Beavers hitless during the opening stretch.
“I thought Elise threw great,” head coach Melyssa Lombardi said. “I thought she gave us an opportunity to win.”
However, Oregon’s offense was unable to capitalize on that incredible pitching. The Ducks managed just two hits during the first three innings, and could not bring either runner home.
Oregon had its first chance to get on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning. Emma Kauf singled, then Vallery Wong and KK Humphreys loaded the bases after getting hit by a pitch and walked respectively. However, a pop-fly ended the inning with the Ducks still scoreless.
That missed opportunity allowed Oregon State to be the one to strike first. Maddy Clark and Paige Doerr both singled to put runners on first and second bases. Both advanced on a groundout to put them both in position to score on a single from Charity Sevaaetasi. Those runs gave the Beavers the first lead of the game at 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.
Oregon was unable to swing the momentum back in its favor in the next few innings. That left just the seventh inning for a comeback attempt. However, Oregon State would start off the inning by making a comeback a little harder to muster. Sloppy fielding from the Ducks allowed Clark to reach on an error, then get to third on a single from Doerr. A ball from Madi Simon was mishandled by Paige Sinicki at shortstop for the second error of the inning, allowing Clark to score her second run of the game. The run put Oregon in a 3-0 hole heading into the bottom of the seventh.
However, the comeback would never come from the Ducks. A 1-2-3 inning from The Beavers’ Logan Hulon gave her a complete game shutout to secure the upset.
“We needed to do more,” Lombardi said about the offense. “[Hulon]’s a good pitcher, but I believe in this lineup and I think we needed to be able to adjust better than we did tonight.”
Oregon’s offense managed just three hits in the game. Despite a relatively strong defensive showing, the lack of runners on base throughout the game allowed Oregon State to take the win despite managing just five hits of its own.
“Absolutely win the series,” Lombardi said about the goal for the next game. “To me, the team that wants it the most, that’s going to do what it takes, is the team that’s going to get it.”
The Ducks will try to rebound to take the series against the Beavers on Sunday, Apr. 21 at 4:00 p.m.
