Softball: "Those Just Go Off the Bat"

[Charles Fischer]

 

Ducks Split Doubleheader at Baylor

 

WACO, Texas – No. 12 Oregon bounced back from its first loss of the season to win the nightcap for a split of a doubleheader Friday against Baylor at Getterman Stadium.

 

After falling to the Bears 3-0 in the first game, the Ducks (7-1) scored seven runs in the final three innings in an 8-4 victory in game two.

 

”We definitely needed to walk away with a split,” said coach Melyssa Lombardi. “Before that second game, as coaches we challenged them and what I like about this team is that any time we’ve challenged them, they have always answered.”

 

How it Happened: After managing just four hits in game one, Lombardi went to a speedier lineup in game two and it paid off.

 

The Ducks moved Hanna Delgado into the leadoff spot, followed by Paige Sinicki. At the bottom of the lineup. Kedre Luschar made the most of her first start as a Duck.

 

In the third inning, Luschar and Delgado led off with bunt singles and Sinicki reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases. After a couple of runners were forced out at the plate, Sinicki scored the game’s first run on Vallery Wong’s ground out to third.

 

The Ducks used small ball again to score twice in the fifth inning on only one hit. Delgado led off with a walk and beat the throw to second on Sinicki’s fielder’s choice. Allee Bunker then had the Ducks’ only hit of the inning, an infield single to short, to load the bases. Delgado was forced out at home, but Sinicki scored on an infield error on Wong’s grounder. Jasmine Williams’ RBI ground out to second base brought Bunker home.

 

After Baylor (6-1) scored a run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 3-1, the Ducks doubled up on Sinicki’s first home run of the season. Hannah Galey walked and was forced out at second on Luschar’s fielder’s choice. Delgado bunted down the first base line for a base hit. Sinicki then sent the first offering she saw from Rachel Hertenberger deep over the left center-field fence with Luschar and Delgado scoring on the play.

 

“Those you don’t feel off the bat,” said Sinicki. “Those just go off the bat and it’s just an amazing feeling to go back to home plate and celebrate with all my teammates.”

 

Oregon’s veterans helped add two runs in the top of the seventh. Williams walked and then scored on Rachel Cid’s first hit of the season, a double to left field. After Cid moved to third on Galey’s grounder to the right side, Luschar ended her day with a sacrifice fly to center that scored Cid.

 

Jordan Dail proved to be a steadying force in the circle following the Ducks’ game one loss. She went 4.2 innings and gave up one run with five hits and struck out five in improving to 3-0 on the season.

 

“I loved how (Dail) settled in. She got some key strikeouts for us,” said Lombardi. “Just again, giving us an opportunity to win the ball game.”

 

Oregon was held to four hits in the first game, two of them belonging to KK Humphreys.

 

Noteworthy: Stevie Hansen was a bright spot in the circle. She threw 3.1 innings in relief and struck out six in game one. She came on to record the final out in the seventh inning of the second game. With two runners on, Hansen struck out Ana Watson to earn her first career save. The Ducks had a couple of web gems in game two. In the fourth inning with a runner on first, Aliyah Binford hit a ball to deep center field. Delgado got a glove on the ball as she crashed into the wall, but could not hold on.

 

The ball rolled to Williams, who saw that the runner from first thought Delgado made the catch and was retreating to tag up. Williams swiftly got the ball in to Sinicki who stepped on second base for the 9-8-6 force out. In the sixth inning, Watson sent a line drive down the left field line that Galey gloved on a diving catch. Wong was 0-for-4 in game two but had two RBI. Oregon and Baylor last played in the 2017 Women’s College World Series (7-4, Ducks).

 

Quotable

Head Coach Melyssa Lombardi

“I was really impressed with Kedre (Luschar). She’s just been patiently waiting for her opportunity and she got it in that second game. She did a wonderful job of turning the lineup over.”

 

On Deck: Oregon wraps up its four-game Texas road trip with a single game at Baylor on Saturday (10 a.m. PT, ESPN+).