In the bottom of the eighth, a Terra McGowen RBI single sent senior Haley Cruse home to clinch a 3-2 win for the Ducks. Sunday night’s win in Austin, Texas was Oregon’s third-straight win in regionals after dropping their first game in Austin.
With the win, Oregon will play Texas a second time in a winner-take-all for a chance to play in the super-regional.
The game was delayed five hours due to heavy rain in the Austin area. As the first pitch was continuously postponed, the Ducks stayed busy by singing in the rain as a group, keeping spirits high.
After the first pitch was thrown at 6:05 pacific time, Alyssa Brito put the Ducks on the board first in the bottom second, homering to left field. This was Brito’s tenth homer of the season, giving the Ducks a 1-0 advantage.
Ducks fans were minimal, but stayed loud throughout the game. They roared as Viewers Brito ran the bases.
Brooke Yanez played a complete game on the mound, throwing 119 total pitches in eight innings. Yanez battled the whole game, recording her 22nd win of the season with an ERA of 2.25 and eight strikeouts.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Shaye Bowden walked and Cruse singled, placing two runners on base with two outs. Allee Bunker then sent Bowden home with a single, giving the Ducks a 2-0 lead.
The Ducks shutout ended in the fifth inning. After a controversial missed call by the first base umpire placed Texas runner Camille Corona on base, the Longhorns’ Janae Jefferson hit a double to score Corona, slicing the deficit in half.
Oregon was able to hold the lead heading into the seventh inning.
With runner on first for Texas, The Ducks needed one final out to win. With the game on the line, Courtney Day tripled, sending a runner home to knot the game up at two.
In the bottom of the eighth inning,Cruse hit a double. McGowen was then able to send Cruse home with an RBI single, winning the game for the Ducks. Oregon’s dugout ran onto the field immediately after the score to celebrate their season staying alive.
The Ducks are now 3-1 in regionals and will play Texas again tonight. The winner advances to the super regional.
