EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon got a dominant pitching performance from Brooke Yanez to take game one of the doubleheader, 1-0, while Haley Cruse turned in a phenomenal day at the plate as the Ducks split the twin bill with No. 7 Arizona Saturday. The Ducks dropped the nightcap, 4-3, and will look for the overall series win and conference series sweep on Sunday.
“I love what these guys are doing,” said head coach Melyssa Lombardi. “I love how they’re fighting, I love how they’re together and playing for each other and just competing every pitch.”
Game 1: No. 12 Oregon 1, No. 7 Arizona 0
Brooke Yanez dominated from start to finish in a four-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts and no walks in Oregon’s 1-0 win over Arizona to start the doubleheader.
How it Happened: Both teams had opportunities to push runs across throughout the first half of the game, but Yanez and Arizona starter Alyssa Denham continued to work out of trouble through the first four innings. The Ducks had a pair of runners on with one out in the first inning but couldn’t cash in before stranding a one-out triple in the third.
Yanez also worked around a triple, working out of trouble in the second inning with a groundout and two strikeout after giving up a three-bagger to open the inning. She again wiggled out of trouble in the fourth, recording back-to-back strikeouts to leave runners at second and third and keep the game scoreless.
Oregon finally broke through for the only run of the game in the fifth. Deijah Pangilinan delivered a one-out double to right center, before Haley Cruse cashed her in with another shot to the right center gap to put the Ducks on top, 1-0.
“This weekend I just went up there and didn’t really want to have an approach, as ironic as that sounds,” said Cruse. “I just really wanted to focus on seeing the ball and hitting the ball, and just trusting my instincts.”
Yanez cruised to the finish from there, working around one baserunner each in the sixth and seventh to finish off the shutout.
Game 1 Notables: The Ducks improved to 7-0 in one-run games … Yanez tossed her second straight complete game, while recording her fifth shutout of the season … She is the first Oregon pitcher since May 17, 2018 (Miranda Elish) to have double-figure strikeouts and no walks in a shutout … It was her sixth double-digit strikeout effort of the season and the second time she fanned at least 10 without walking a batter … Cruse finished a homer shy of the cycle, going 3-for-3 with a double, triple and RBI.
Game 2: No. 7 Arizona 4, No. 7 Oregon 3
Oregon jumped out to an early lead in the nightcap against Arizona, and the two teams went back-and-forth in the late innings, but the Ducks dropped the nonconference nightcap of the doubleheader, 4-3.
How it Happened: Cruse continued her hot hitting with a leadoff homer to left center, putting the Ducks on top 1-0 through one.
After the two teams went scoreless over the next three innings, Arizona jumped in front with a two-run homer to make it 2-1. The Ducks would respond immediately to reclaim the lead with a pair of runs in the fifth. Cruse came through once again, delivering a two-out single up the middle to tie the game before Allee Bunker gave Oregon a 3-2 lead with a base knock to right center one batter later.
The Wildcats answered right back with another pair of two-out runs, this time coming on a two-run single. The Ducks threatened in the seventh, putting a pair of runners on with two outs, but couldn’t cash in. Cruse led off the inning with a walk before Hanna Delgado singled with two outs, but a pop up ended the game.
Overall Notables: Cruse hit for the cycle between the two games, finishing 5-for-6 with a pair of singles, a double, triple and a homer while driving in three of the team’s four runs … She reached base in six of her seven plate appearances … Cruse leads the team with 16 multi-hit games … Oregon pitching combined for 22 strikeouts over the two games, fanning 12 in game one and 10 in game two … The game two loss was Oregon’s first of the year in a one-run game, dropping the Ducks to 7-1 … All three games in the series have been decided by one run.
On Deck: The Ducks will honor their seniors prior to the home regular season finale Sunday against the Wildcats starting at 12 p.m. on Pac-12 Network.