As Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher Dennis Eckersley would say, Grein finished the weekend with 25 pairs of shoes.

Grein shoved this weekend. In Game 1, she threw 4.0 innings of eight strikeout softball, in Game 2 she came out of the pen for 4.0 innings of seven strikeout softball and in Game 3 she continued to blow it by Terrapin batters as she struck out 10.

No. 17 Oregon (32-9, Big Ten 13-2) blew past the Maryland Terrapins (14-26, 1-17 Big Ten) 8-2 on Sunday. The offense didn’t come alive until the fifth, but Oregon could take its time as Grein had another incredible day in the circle. The sweep sets the Ducks up well for their next series against the best team in the Big Ten, the Washington Huskies. 

Grein (7 IP, 2 ER, 10 K) made her third appearance and her second start in the series on Sunday. The senior got the win in the two previous games, the run-rule victory on Friday and the extra-innings pitchers duel on Saturday.

Maryland walked the bases loaded in the first before they were able to record an out. Emma Cox got the scoring started with a sacrifice fly to left field; Oregon had scored first without registering a hit. But, one run was all Oregon got out of the juicy opportunity.

The Ducks remained hitless until Cox slapped a single up the middle in the third. The starting pitcher for the Terrapins, Elisea Wiegand, found ways to get outs. She had the Ducks out in front and under a lot of pitches with most of her outs coming off of shallow pop-ups. Elon Butler had been the only Oregon batter to drive a ball through the first three, but even then it wasn’t enough to clear the fence as it died at the track.

Grein struck out three in the first with a walk and single muddled in. She was even more efficient in the second as she struck out the side. The lack of Oregon offense that boded an issue yesterday wasn’t a huge concern given Grein in the circle.

Another bases loaded threat came in the fourth. Taryn Ho reached on an error, Stefini Ma’ake singled, and Butler walked. And while one out came on a sacrifice bunt from Addison Amaral, Weigand got the Ducks to hit two very uncompetitive fly balls — a Katie Flannery pop-out to second base, and a Kaylynn Jones fly ball to shallow left ended the Ducks rally with nothing to show for it.

The third time was the charm with the bases loaded. Singles from Amari Harper, Ayanna Shaw and Ho gave Ma’ake the chance to do damage. And she did with a mammoth shot into left field for an Oregon grand slam. 

Maryland broke through onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame. Bases loaded and two outs, Mariah Penta singled to bring in Gracie Wilson and Caroline Fox. Grein had held the Terrapins scoreless throughout her two previous outings, but all things must come to an end.

Grein’s battery mate Cox got those runs right back. She lasered a 1-2 fastball into left center field that got out in a hurry and Oregon was up by six, leading 8-2.

Grein retired the side in order in the seventh, and the seep was complete. Ducks will fly out of Maryland with a 8-2 win that polished off a great weekend for the team.

The Ducks are back home next weekend for an important series both for the history of the program and the season. The Ducks will battle the Washington Huskies at Jane Sanders Stadium, looking to be a thrilling series. The weekend will also be the celebration weekend of 60 years of Oregon softball and 10 seasons at The Jane. 

The first two games of the series will be broadcast via Big Ten Plus and the last game will be on Big Ten Network. All games will be on radio via KWVA.