Oregon softball has been seeded No. 2 in the Austin Regional after finishing the regular season with a four-game sweep of Cal and a 37-15 overall record. The Ducks will open play against Texas State (38-12) on Friday, May 21, at 4:30 p.m.
“I’m thrilled that we’re in the postseason,” Oregon head coach Melyssa Lombardi said. “I think about our first year and our name not getting called. So to hear our name getting called this year, we were pumped to hear that.”
The seeding comes as a bit of a surprise as the Ducks did not make the top 16 in the NCAA Tournament. Instead, they have to settle for an NCAA Regional, despite being No. 11 in the country in RPI and ninth in strength of schedule.
“As far as thinking possibly being one of the 16, that’s something we thought about,” Lombardi said. “But with postseason you hear your name get called and then from there, wherever it is, whether you’re hosting or whether you’re not hosting, you get ready, you prepare and it’s all about the postseason.”
Four Pac-12 teams were seeded in the top 16, while No. 2 UCLA was the only one to make the top eight.
On the other side of the Austin Regional bracket are some familiar faces on the Texas Longhorns, with coach Mike White and former Ducks Mary Iakopo, Lauren Burke and Shannon Rhodes on the roster. But for now, Oregon’s priority is beating Texas State.
“I think right now our focus is on Texas State and on our first game, and anything that comes after that will come after that and we’ll take it by the reins,” star outfielder Haley Cruse said. “I think the most important part is focusing on one game at a time and not treating any other game differently than we have all year.”
This will be the Ducks’ 21st regional appearance and first since 2018. They boast a 74-67 all-time record in the postseason, but have never won the College World Series.
