The Ducks owned Liberty… again.
Oregon found itself searching for situational offense after struggling with runners in scoring position in the Ducks’ previous two games at the Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida.
The Ducks (2-1) found their power in a big way as seven Ducks tallied hits in their 8-0 run-rule destruction of Liberty.
Starting hot right away, Alyssa Danniell drove in Emma Kauf on a first-inning double to get Oregon on the board early.
Following the first of five Morgan Scott shutdown innings, Oregon’s offense struck back with a six-run second inning to put the game out of reach.
Oregon’s first four batters of the second frame reached base as KK Humphreys singled in Katie Flannery and Teyha Byrd. After a Kai Luschar walk and a subsequent stolen base, Ariel Carlson’s two-run homerun put the Ducks up by seven.
Liberty had no answers for Scott’s prestige in the circle as the Flames mustered just two baserunners on a night where Scott threw 63% strikes.
Mary Claire Wilson and Rachel Roupe started the game with hits for the Flames, but only one other Flame would reach base as the Flames’ offense was listless all game long against Scott.
Keeping hitters uncomfortable throughout, Scott, who missed the majority of the fall with injury, threw five scoreless innings and is expected to help contribute to a loaded Ducks’ pitching staff.
“The strength of our staff is that we have a lot of different arms,” Kauf said on media day. “All of them individually, they have their different personalities, and I think as a whole staff together, that’s what makes them special, that they can all build off of each other.”
After a pair of scoreless-innings, Carlson blasted her second home run of the contest putting the Ducks up eight and setting up college softball’s eight-run rule. Seven different Ducks crossed the plate in Oregon’s most complete showing of the young season.
Expected to fill the shoes of the graduated Allee Bunker, the freshman, Flannery, started the first game of her collegiate career going 0-1 with a run scored.
Kauf went 1-3 and started her first game of the season behind the plate, throwing out the lone runner who tried to steal on her.
“She’s got a beautiful left-handed swing,” Lombardi said of Kauf in the pre-season. “She’s clutch, she hits a lot of line drives … she’s here to do what it takes for the team.”
Oregon will continue to day three at the NFCA Leadoff Classic and take on Missouri State and No. 5 Clemson at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., the latter of which can be streamed on MLB Network.
