Bats Break Out To Cap Home-Opening Weekend
Box Score - #6 Oregon 10, Boise State 2 (6) | Box Score - #6 Oregon 16, Portland State 0 (5) | Boxscore
EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon combined to score 26 runs over two games on Sunday, finishing off a home-opening weekend sweep of Boise State and Portland State with a pair of run-rule victories to move to 13-1.
Game 1: No. 6 Oregon 10, Boise State 2 (6 innings)
Oregon blasted four home runs while getting another strong performance in the circle in a 10-2 victory over Boise State in six innings to open the doubleheader.
How it Happened: Boise State struck first, getting a run in the top of the first off Oregon starter Brooke Yanez, but the Ducks answered immediately with a pair of runs in the bottom half. Haley Cruse led off with a single before coming around to score on an RBI single by Allee Bunker, then Mya Felder scored Bunker on a groundout to give the Ducks the lead.
The Broncos answered with a run in the third to tie it up at two, but once again Oregon responded, putting up a four-spot in the home half to take a 6-2 lead. Cruse led off the third with a solo homer, and was followed two batters later by Bunker who hit a two-run shot to make it 5-2. After that, Alyssa Brito singled, Terra McGowan doubled and Cid drove in Brito on a fielder's choice to put Oregon up by four.
Brito tacked on another run with a one-out solo shot in the fifth inning before Rachel Cid came around to score later that inning via an RBI infield base hit by Ariel Carlson, stretching Oregon's lead to 8-2. Felder came up with a runner on and one out in the sixth and deposited one over the left field fence to end the game, scoring Hanna Delgado who led off the inning with a single.
Game 1 Notables: Half of Oregon's 12 hits went for extra bases … The Ducks homered at least four times in a game for the second time this year … Bunker went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, a homer and a double … Felder drove in three runs as well, going 1-for-4 with a homer … Cruse, Delgado and Brito all turned in multi-hit games as well … Yanez improved to 6-0 on the year with her win, going five innings and striking out seven despite walking five.
Game 2: No. 6 Oregon 16, Portland State 0
Oregon scored early and often, fueled by a nine-run first inning in a 16-0 win over Portland State to cap off the doubleheader sweep.
How it Happened: The Ducks sent 15 batters to the plate in the first inning on the way to going up 9-0. Brito opened the scoring with an RBI single to right center, driving in Bunker to make it 1-0 before Cid drove in two more on a bouncing ball up the middle that resulted in a double. Vallery Wong came through with a seeing-eye single back through the box to score two more, making it 5-0. The two freshmen in the lineup capped off the scoring following an RBI groundout, with Delgado and Brito each coming up with run-scoring doubles – Delgado's scoring two runs – to finish the big inning.
Oregon capitalized on some miscues to score two more in the second inning and go up 11-0. Wong reached on a sacrifice fly and error on the right fielder to drive in the first run, before Bunker got aboard on another E9 that scored Wong.
The Ducks poured it on late, adding five more runs in the fourth inning thanks to some big hits by some players off the bench. Tehya Bird delivered her first career RBI, driving in fellow freshman Gabby Herrera with a pinch-hit single after Herrera opened the inning with a double off the bench. Delgado followed Bird's single with a three-run shot to center field, stretching the lead to 15-0. Maddie Hopper then came up and roped a pinch-hit solo homer the other way to cap off the scoring.
Game 2 Notables: The shutout was Oregon's fifth of the season … Oregon recorded seven extra-base hits, highlighted by five doubles … Delgado went 2-for-3 with five RBIs and her first career homer … Wong drove in three runs, finishing 1-for-1 with two runs scored … Cid and Brito each had a pair of RBIs while both went 3-for-4 … Makenna Kliethermes picked up her first career win, tossing three shutout innings with six strikeouts … Jordan Dail and Raegan Breedlove each threw a scoreless inning of relief.
Quotable: Head Coach Melyssa Lombardi
On the play today compared to yesterday…
"I definitely wanted to see a different look from us today compared to what we saw yesterday. I really like that the team accepted our challenge and they responded."
Freshman Hanna Delgado
On creating their own energy without having fans…
"Not having fans, it does make a difference. But our energy in the dugout has been really great. I think that is what is keeping us pumped for the games. It would be great to have fans, but I think our energy all around and team chemistry has really been doing the job."
Overall Notables: The Ducks finished the doubleheader with 13 extra-base hits, including six home runs and seven doubles … Nine different players came up with an extra-base hit while the six homers were hit by six different players … Ducks pitching combined to strike out 17 batters over 11 innings, allowing just two runs on seven hits … Oregon's 2020 freshman class combined to drive in nine runs while going 11-for-16 … Delgado finished the doubleheader 4-for-7 with five RBIs, four runs scored, a double and a homer … Brito went 5-for-7 with a pair of RBIs along with three runs scored, a double and a homer … Cid was 4-for-6 with three RBIs and three runs scored.
On Deck: The Ducks remain home for four games next weekend at Jane Sanders Stadium.