One day after clinching at least a share of the Pac-12 championship, the Oregon softball team lost the opportunity to win the title outright. At least, for now.
Amidst a 6-4 loss to the Wildcats in Tucson, the Ducks will either have to win their final game tomorrow or hope that No. 6 UCLA falls once more in its two remaining against No. 24 Arizona State.
The first inning between the Ducks and Wildcats proved to be the most exciting as the teams combined for eight runs on five hits, which included three homeruns.
Oregon started the game with three runs in the first inning for the early lead.
Nikki Udria led off with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. She came around to score when Janie Takeda singled up the middle on the next bat. Takeda eventually came around to score after Jenna Lilley hit a sacrifice fly to left field.
Janelle Lindvall ended the scoring with a solo homerun on the first pitch she saw.
Arizona responded with a five-run half inning that knocked Oregon starting pitcher Geri Ann Glasco out of the game after facing seven batters and notching two outs.
Glasco surrendered a three-run homerun to Katiyana Mauga and a two-run bomb to Mo Mercado. Karissa Hovinga came on in relief of Glasco and got the final out of the inning.
After the big first inning, both offenses sputtered the rest of the game.
The Ducks tacked on their final run of the game in the third inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Lindvall hit a hard groundball to the shortstop that resulted in the out at third base. Takeda still scored.
Hovinga kept the Wildcats at bay until the sixth inning when they broke through for one run.
Hovinga loaded the bases with a hit-by-pitch, single and walk, before a fielder’s choice at third base recorded the second out of the inning, which allowed the run to score.
Udria singled in the top of the seventh inning with one out to bring up Takeda. Takeda hit a hard line drive to the Arizona third baseman but she caught the ball and doubled up Udria at first to end the game.
Oregon returns to action in the regular season finale with an 8:30 p.m. first pitch against the Wildcats. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU.
Follow Ryan Kostecka on Twitter: @Ryan_Kostecka