EUGENE, Ore. – No. 9 Washington dropped a tough 9-8 decision at No. 22 Oregon in game two of the series at Jane Sanders Stadium on Saturday night. The Huskies move to 26-6 and 10-4 in Pac-12 play.
Lindsay Lopez (8-2) got the start, going 1.2 innings with a strikeout. Brooke Nelson came on in relief and threw a gem in 4.1 innings with one earned run allowed with a walk and five strikeouts. Nelson retired 12 of 19 batters faced.
Oregon jumped out to an early four-run lead after the first inning.
The Huskies answered right back in the second. Back-to-back hits from Kinsey Fiedler and Olivia Johnson brought up Nelson who sent her fifth homer of the season out to center field. After back-to-back walks to Sydney Stewart and Giselle Alvarez, Avery Hobson send a single down the left field line to tie the game at four apiece.
TIE GAME!!!
T2 | ?? 4 ?? 4
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?? https://t.co/bQO1uLhDcv pic.twitter.com/n7oK4fMg8k— Washington Softball (@UWSoftball) April 7, 2024
Oregon answered right back, plating five runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 9-4 lead.
Alana Johnson sent her 10th home run of the season over the center field wall, cutting the Duck's lead to four.
LANA J! ??
Home run No. ?? for @__lanaaj cuts into the Oregon lead
T3 | ?? 5 ?? 9
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?? https://t.co/bQO1uLhDcv pic.twitter.com/fS3wOQXdRd— Washington Softball (@UWSoftball) April 7, 2024
Nelson went yard again in the fifth, a solo shot out to center. It is her first multi-home run game. Nelson has nine career homers, three of them have been in Eugene.
BROOKE DOES IT AGAIN!!
Her first career game with multiple home runs ??
T5 | ?? 6 ?? 9
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?? https://t.co/bQO1uLhDcv pic.twitter.com/pZLzw6Y5Rk— Washington Softball (@UWSoftball) April 7, 2024
In the sixth, Rylee Holtorf led off with a double and Hobson reached on a fielder's choice putting runners on second and third. A sacrifice fly from Jillian Celis brought in the seventh run for the Huskies. Hobson scored on a wild pitch, making it a one-run game before the game entered a 46-minute rain delay. The Huskies were able to load the bases coming out of the delay, but couldn't find the equalizer.
The series finale is set for Sunday afternoon with a noon first pitch. The game will air on Pac-12 Network.
For more information on the UW softball team, follow @UWSoftball on X and Instagram.