Saturday’s doubleheader in Eugene between Pac-12 powerhouses UCLA and Oregon could go a long way in determining the Pac-12 standings, and possibly more.
Unfortunately for the Ducks, they dropped the first game 3-0.
Coming off a dominant, complete game in yesterday’s win, Brooke Yanez got the start again. After surrendering no runs in last night’s game, Yanez was greeted with a wall-scrapping solo home run from Aaliyah Jordan just pitches into the game.
Yanez hit the next batter to bring up the all-american Rachel Garcia. After working the count a little, Garcia launched a two-run home run to left field over the tall netting to make the game 3-0.
The same UCLA hitters who mustered up all but two hits last night already had two hits through the first three batters. Yanez settled in and got the next three hitters in order.
Garcia got the ball for the Bruins coming into the game with a 0.54 ERA. She found herself in immediate trouble with back-to-back hits from Haley Cruse and Terra McGowan with no outs in the first. Then, Allee Bunker grounded out, advancing both runners to scoring position. With one out, the freshman slugger Alyssa Brito was up next.
Brito appeared to have been pegged on the wrist, setting up bases loaded, but the umpires gathered to determine that the ball hit her bat, making it a foul ball. Brito then struck out, and Rachel Cid grounded out, closing the window on a big opportunity.
As light hail started to fall over Jane Sanders’s field, Yanez again found herself in trouble in the second. A botched pop-fly between first and second and a walk gave the Bruins first and second with no outs. Yanez retired the next three hitters in order, but it was apparent that her stuff wasn’t as overpowering as yesterday.
With two outs in the bottom of the third, Brito walked. Cid came up next, and after an impressive fight against Garcia, Cid lined a single to right. Brito advanced to third on the play but Cid took too big of a turn around first and was back-picked. Another blown opportunity for the Ducks, as the score remained 3-0.
“We pitched well enough and played well enough defense to allow us to win,” head coach Melyssa Lombardi said. “We did not clutch up today hitting.”
Samaria Diaz took over for Yanez in the fifth. Yanez finished the day nicely with four innings, and just three hits surrendered.
Cruse started a one-out rally in the fifth with a base hit to center. She moved up to second on a passed ball, and to third on an infield hit from McGowan. With runners at the corner, one out, and the meat of the Ducks order up next, this was the perfect time for Oregon to strike.
Garcia had different plans, however. She got Bunker to pop out to short, and Brito to strike out on three pitches to keep the 3-0 lead.
Both Diaz and Garcia traded scoreless innings for the rest of the way through as UCLA defeated Oregon 3-0, the same score as yesterday’s game. Garcia finished with a complete game shutout surrendering only two walks, eight hits, and striking out six.
The loss marked the first at home for the Ducks and the first for Yanez as she is now 14-1 on the season. The Ducks are now 27-3 on the season, with a chance to split the doubleheader.
