Oregon softball continued its three-game win streak with an 8-0 victory against Missouri State on Saturday in the NFCA Leadoff Classic.
The Ducks (3-1) dropped their first game of the season against Indiana on Thursday. After the disappointing start, they went two for two in their previous matchups against Kansas and Liberty.
The game began with a first-inning run. Following leadoff hitter Kai Luschar’s single, Emma Kauf doubled up the middle to send Luschar to third. Once again, it was senior Ariel Carlson with the first run batted in off a sac fly. Carlson recorded three RBIs against Liberty and one versus Kansas.
Carlson led the team with two RBIs and went 2-for-3 Saturday morning. She’s now started her season with six RBIs in only four games. Carlson is the last player from head coach Melyssa Lombardi’s first recruiting class in 2019.
Elise Sokolsky got the start inside the circle for Oregon. Sokolsky had a medical redshirt in the 2023 season after transferring from the University of Connecticut. It was a complicated first inning for her. After allowing back-to-back singles, she ended the inning with a double play.
The Ducks added a pair of runs to their tally in the second. KK Humphreys reached on an error by the Bears’ pitcher and advanced to third. Vallery Wong singled up the middle to get her first RBI of the season. Kauf later scored Wong.
Carlson scored another runner in the fourth with two outs on the board. Luschar and Kauf both started 3-for-3 to put runners on the corners when Carlson stepped up to the plate.
Sokolsky continued to be dominant in the circle. She pitched back-to-back 1-2-3 innings in the third and fourth. Amidst this stretch, she also recorded a three-pitch strikeout.
Sokolsky ended up with three strikeouts and only allowed three hits. She shut out Missouri State in five innings.
Junior pitcher Stevie Hansen relieved Sokolsky in the sixth inning. Hansen didn’t get the start to the season she was looking for against Indiana two days prior. She allowed five runs on five hits. In this game, however, she bounced back with consecutive strikeouts against her first two batters.
Oregon finished the game with a quartet of final runs. Carlson found home following a Bears’ error. Wong then got her second RBI, scoring the freshman Ayanna Shaw. Teyha Bird also contributed two RBIs in the inning.
The Ducks’ pitching group is beginning to get into a groove after a difficult start. Their most difficult test, though, is on the horizon. Oregon will finish off its Saturday doubleheader with a top-15 matchup against No. 5 Clemson. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
