Emma Cox leaped off the field and into her teammates just in front of the dugout. She just back-picked the tying run at second base, crushed a two run shot in the first inning and had one of the best series of her career; it was only Game 2.

To follow up her showing last night, Elon Butler sent an absolute seed to third base, eerily similar to the one she got the runner at home with in Game 1, to end the game. 

The defense had never been better for the Ducks this season.

“Everything that you keep seeing in the games this weekend is because of what we do in practice,” head coach Melyssa Lombardi said. 

Game 2 between No. 18 Oregon (34-9, 15-2 Big Ten) and No. 20 Washington (34-11, 15-2 Big Ten) proved a defensive masterclass from the Ducks. With help from Cox, Amari Harper and Stefini Ma’ake, the Ducks beat the Huskies 5-4 and took the series from their rival.

Oregon showed off another blistering start to the game. The Ducks put up three runs in the first, but their offense became stagnant throughout the middle innings. The defense held up throughout and kept the Huskies to only one run

It was a combination of almost every pitcher the Ducks had in the circle. Lyndsey Grein started, then Maddie Milhorn (1.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R) came in in the second and Elise Sokolsky (first appearance since Indiana) in the third. Sokolsky (4.2 IP, 1 ER, 6 H) was great in her return and held on for the win. 

“It was so exciting just to be back on the field with my girls,” Sokolsky said. “That’s really what I was looking most forward to.”

Grein’s leash was short no doubt, but the first batter of the game didn’t help her much. Kaycie Burdick worked a full count until a mile-high fly ball carried just enough to clank off the right field foul pole for a lead off solo shot. Katie Flannery thwarted an impending rally when she dove to her backhand on the turf in foul territory to catch a popped up bunt.

But that first inning mishap was the end for Grein as Milhorn came in in between innings.

Cox continued her insatiably consistent hitting over the last couple series. After launching two home runs on Friday night, including a Grand Slam in the sixth, she crushed a two run shot to begin her day at the plate in Game 2. 

“She’s very confident with her plan, she knows what she wants,” Lombardi said. “She’s very decisive and when she gets her pitch she’s doing a great job of hitting it hard. 

Ma’ake went back-to-back with Cox, lasering a shot out to left center field that barely cleared the wall. In two quick at-bats, the Ducks had taken the lead right back. 

But that early, potent offense didn’t carry over into the next couple innings. The Ducks got just one hit in the second, retired  in order in the third inning and didn’t fare much better in the fourth. 

Taryn Ho added to the defensive highlights in the second. Ho fielded a ball up the middle from Sophi Mazzola with a spectacular diving stop. She popped to her feet and threw a seed to Ma’ake at first for the out. 

“She’s confident, she’s always been confident,” Lombardi said. “She’s been thrown into the fire all year long and when you get thrown into the fire, you start out trying to do everything right. Now you don’t see that from her, she embraces it, she knows exactly what she needs to do.”

The defensive cylinder had a lot of firepower through the first two games. Butler held down right field on Friday night night, Flannery and Ho had diving grabs, Milhorn snagged a line drive back at her on the mound, a slick double play in the fifth — Gold Glove level Duck defense was on display. 

Cox joined the party after she nabbed Jade Bubke who was the tying run at second to end the top of the sixth. Bubke was caught napping as she was late to get back to the bag and didn’t slide which gave Kaylynn Jones a routine tag play. 

“It gives me a lot of confidence on the mound to know that no matter what I have any day I am able to bring whatever I have and the defense will have my back,” Sokolsky said.

The Huskies got back in the game with another solo shot, this time to center field from Jadyn Glab. A walk and a single chased Milhorn for Sokolsky who navigated the two on, one out road block to get out of the inning. But she gave up the game tying solo homerun to Alexis DeBoer in the top of the fourth.

“We cannot defend home runs, we have to keep the ball in the yard,” Lombardi said. “But to keep them to solos, it makes a difference. We’ve got to keep the ball in the yard.”

The stagnant Oregon offense pulled through in the fifth with a two run blast from Harper that drilled the top of the scoreboard. Another late inning push from the Ducks gave them the lead, this time 5-3. 

“It was awesome to do it for her (Sokolsky) and for our team,” Harper said. 

The Huskies got one more run, but the tying run was cut down once more. This time at third to end the game, Butler threw a dart and The Jane exploded once more on the incredible play to seal Oregon’s 5-4 win. 

“So impressed,” Harper said. “Not surprised at all. She works on this consistently, day in and day out in practice.”

Oregon will look to sweep the series on Sunday at 3pm. The game will be broadcasted via the Big Ten Network (video) and KWVA (radio).