It’s been five years since the Oregon Ducks softball program was in a Super Regional and the nerves were on full display.
Fueled by a three-run fourth inning, Oklahoma State went on to take Game 1 by the score of 8-1. Now the Ducks will have to win two straight in Stillwater in order to advance to the Women’s College Series.
At first, it looked like things would be going Oregon’s way as they took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Alyssa Daniell’s single to right that scored KK Humphreys.
Daniell would be the last Oregon baserunner as Cowgirls starting pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl retired the last 17 Ducks to come to the plate.
Oregon starter Morgan Scott was rolling through 3.1 innings, but then the proverbial wheels came way off the axle for the Ducks.
Kiley Naomi put the Cowgirls on the board with a solo homer to tie the game. A walk and a double put runners on second and third. OSU’s Morgyn Wynne hit a comebacker to the circle and Scott had the runner dead to rights, but her throw to home was wide and OSU took the 2-1 lead on the error.
It got even worse from there.
Oklahoma State scored four more runs in the fifth with the big blow being a three-run homer off of Wynne’s bat to make it 7-1. The only question then was if Oregon was going to be run-ruled.
Game 2 between the Ducks and Cowgirls is scheduled for Friday at 3 pm PST and will be televised on ESPN2.