The Ducks needed a win.
With Megan Kleist in the circle for the Ducks and Danielle O’Toole going for the Wildcats, a pitcher’s duel was a possibility. Instead, Oregon and Arizona teamed up to hit four solo home runs, and Oregon came away with a 4-3 win.
Danica Mercado’s sister Mo Mercado hit an RBI single to give Arizona a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Ducks responded with a second inning solo home run from Shannon Rhodes over the right field wall to tie the game.
Arizona responded with a solo shot of its own in the bottom of the inning. Arizona’s Alyssa Palomino caught hold of a Megan Kleist pitch and sent a ball over the center field wall to retake the lead 2-1.
In the bottom of the second, Rhodes made a huge defensive play to save Oregon from allowing more runs, sprinting to her right in center field to make a catch at full stretch.
Oregon got two players into scoring position in the third with Alexis Mack stealing her way to third and Mercado to second. Jenna Lilley lined out to second and an Arizona overthrown pick attempt at third allowed Mack to score and Mercado to advance to third, tying the game at 2-2.
In the fourth, the Wildcats’ Reyna Carranco chopped a ball down the first base line, and Madi Bishop did not throw home nor get the out at first, giving Arizona a 3-2 lead.
Nikki Udria came up big in the sixth inning with a laser beam solo home run to right-center field to tie the game once again. In the same inning, Lauren Lindvall nailed a solo shot to right field to give Oregon its first lead of the day.
Kleist pitched a stellar sixth inning, retiring Arizona’s batters in order and giving the Ducks a chance to add onto their 4-3 lead.
The Ducks failed to score in the seventh; it was up to Kleist to step back into the circle and close the game out.
Kleist and the Ducks survived to take the game 4-3, avoiding the sweep.
Oregon returns home to Jane Sanders Stadium to take on Oregon State in a three-game Civil War series starting Friday.
Follow Shawn Medow on Twitter @ShawnMedow