Ducks Score Six Runs Late to Down Bobcats

SAN MARCOS, Texas – No. 12 Oregon scored six times in the final three innings to defeat Texas State 7-3 Thursday at Bobcat Softball Stadium.
 
Allee Bunker hit a two-run home run and had three RBI to lead the Ducks (6-0) at the plate.
 
"We weren't getting exactly what we wanted but we did put pressure on them by putting the ball in play and forcing some errors," said coach Melyssa Lombardi. "And then from there once we settled in at the plate, we figured out our plan and you started to see us hit the ball hard."
 
How it Happened: The Ducks got on the scoreboard first when Terra McGowan scored Hannah Galey on a double to the wall in center field in the third inning.
 
Texas State tied the game at 1-1 with a run in the bottom of the fourth before the Ducks took the lead for good in the top of the fifth. Galey walked and advanced to third on a ground out and a wild pitch. Hanna Delgado followed with a two-out RBI single to score Galey. Delgado then stole second and came around on Bunker's single to right field.
 
In the top of the sixth, the Ducks took advantage of two Texas State errors to take a 5-1 lead. Kai Luschar walked before KK Humphreys doubled to center. On the play, Luschar scored on a throwing error by the center fielder, while Humphreys advanced to third. Two batters later, Humphreys scored on an error by the shortstop.
 
TSU (2-2) cut the lead to 5-3 with two runs in the bottom the sixth.
 
Oregon answered in the top of the seventh. With Delgado on first after a walk, Bunker launched her first home run of the season over the left center-field fence to put the game away.
 
"I was just looking middle all the way," said Bunker. "I was expecting it. First pitch and I just saw it and I attacked it.
 
Makenna Kliethermes (3-0) struck out seven in six innings to earn her third win of the season.
 
"I thought Makenna did a great job on the mound," said Lombardi. "They've got a powerful lineup and I love how she handled them pretty well."
 
Noteworthy: Rachel Cid made her first appearance of the 2022 season, starting at third. Cid had started 133 straight games before missing the Ducks' first five games last weekend. Delgado stole her team-leading fifth base of the season. The Ducks are 6-0 for the sixth straight season. Oregon scored three runs after two outs against Texas State and has scored 26 two-out runs this season. Oregon and Texas State played twice in the 2021 NCAA Regional in Austin, Texas.
 
Quoteable
Allee Bunker, 2B, on Rachel Cid's return
"It's really nice having another veteran, someone who has played alongside me the past four years, back out there."
 
On Deck: Oregon heads northeast up Interstate 35 to Waco for a three-game series at Baylor, beginning with a doubleheader Friday at 12:30 p.m. PT (ESPN+).
 
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