Back on the field at Jane Sanders Stadium for the first time in nearly a year, Oregon swept a doubleheader against Portland State and Boise State behind more dominant pitching to move to 11-1 on the season.
Game 1: No. 6 Oregon 4, Portland State 2
Brooke Yanez turned in yet another dominant effort in the circle to lead Oregon to a 4-2 win over Portland State in the first game of the doubleheader. She struck out 12 with just one walk in a complete-game effort while Hanna Delgado delivered a huge two-run single in the sixth inning that proved to be the difference.
How it Happened: The Ducks scored single runs in the third and fifth innings for their only runs of the game. Haley Cruse was hit by a pitch to lead off the third inning before stealing second and moving to third on a fly ball. Allee Bunker drove her in with a sacrifice fly to right field, putting Oregon on the board first. Cruse accounted for the second Oregon run of the game as well, driving in Hanna Delgado with a hot-shot RBI double through the left side to stretch the Ducks’ lead to 2-0.
Delgado added two huge insurance runs in the sixth inning with a clutch two-out, two-run single to make it 4-0. After Mya Felder singled and Terra McGowan walked to lead off the inning, a flyout and a stolen base put runners at second and third to set up Delgado for the big two-RBI base hit.
Portland State made things interesting in the top of the seventh, putting the leadoff runner on before getting to Yanez for a two-run homer to make it 4-2. She would buckle down after that, though, striking out the last three batters she faced to finish off the victory.
Game 1 Notables: Yanez struck out double-digit batters for the fourth time this season … She has also fanned at least six batters in all six of her appearances on the season … Her 12 strikeouts are also tied for the second-most she’s had in a single game in her Oregon career … Delgado turned in her first career multi-RBI game.
Game 2: No. 6 Oregon 3, Boise State 0
Oregon pitching dominated once again, as Samaria Diaz and Makenna Kliethermes combined to toss a four-hit shutout in a 3-0 win over Boise State in the doubleheader nightcap.
How it Happened: Oregon jumped in front from the get-go in this one, scoring three in the first inning. Cruse led off for the Ducks with a solo shot to left field to make it 1-0 before Bunker singled and moved to second on an error to set up another scoring opportunity. Felder cashed her in with a single to left field, making it 2-0, before Alyssa Brito came through with a two-out RBI base hit to drive in Felder.
Despite the hot start, the Ducks’ offense went cold after the first inning, however, the pitching staff picked up the Oregon hitters with a dominant effort. Diaz retired the first nine batters she faced and allowed just three baserunners in her five innings of work.
Diaz was lifted in the sixth inning after giving up back-to-back singles to lead off the frame. Kliethermes replaced her in the circle and got the first batter she faced to foul out on a bunt attempt, before striking out the next. She walked the next batter to load the bases with two outs, but picked up another strikeout to end the inning and keep Oregon in front, 3-0.
Game 2 Notables: The shutout was Oregon’s fourth of the season … Diaz has not allowed a run in 14 of her 18 appearances as a Duck after striking out five over five shutout innings tonight … Kliethermes recorded her first career save, fanning four over two hitless innings of relief … Cruse turned in her team-leading fourth multi-hit game of the year, going 2-for-3 with her second homer of the season.
Quotable: Head Coach Melyssa Lombardi
“I thought Samaria did a good job of pounding the zone. Towards the end they started to hit a couple of balls hard and so I felt like it was a good time to make a change and give them a different look. I loved how Makenna came in, threw strikes and really moved her ball through the zone; loved how she closed that game out.”
Overall Notables: Oregon pitching now has an ERA of 1.64 on the season with 99 strikeouts against only 14 walks … The Ducks combined for 21 strikeouts to just three walks over 14 innings in the doubleheader … Oregon scored three more runs with two outs in the doubleheader, meaning the Ducks have scored 42 of their 71 runs this year with two outs in an inning … Felder recorded a hit in both games and has now hit safely in five straight … Cruse went 3-for-6 with a pair of runs scored and two RBIs over the two games.
On Deck: The Ducks will play the same two teams again on Sunday, starting with Boise State at 12:30 p.m. followed by Portland State at 3 p.m
Game 1: No. 6 Oregon 4, Portland State 2
Brooke Yanez turned in yet another dominant effort in the circle to lead Oregon to a 4-2 win over Portland State in the first game of the doubleheader. She struck out 12 with just one walk in a complete-game effort while Hanna Delgado delivered a huge two-run single in the sixth inning that proved to be the difference.
How it Happened: The Ducks scored single runs in the third and fifth innings for their only runs of the game. Haley Cruse was hit by a pitch to lead off the third inning before stealing second and moving to third on a fly ball. Allee Bunker drove her in with a sacrifice fly to right field, putting Oregon on the board first. Cruse accounted for the second Oregon run of the game as well, driving in Hanna Delgado with a hot-shot RBI double through the left side to stretch the Ducks’ lead to 2-0.
Delgado added two huge insurance runs in the sixth inning with a clutch two-out, two-run single to make it 4-0. After Mya Felder singled and Terra McGowan walked to lead off the inning, a flyout and a stolen base put runners at second and third to set up Delgado for the big two-RBI base hit.
Portland State made things interesting in the top of the seventh, putting the leadoff runner on before getting to Yanez for a two-run homer to make it 4-2. She would buckle down after that, though, striking out the last three batters she faced to finish off the victory.
Game 1 Notables: Yanez struck out double-digit batters for the fourth time this season … She has also fanned at least six batters in all six of her appearances on the season … Her 12 strikeouts are also tied for the second-most she’s had in a single game in her Oregon career … Delgado turned in her first career multi-RBI game.
Game 2: No. 6 Oregon 3, Boise State 0
Oregon pitching dominated once again, as Samaria Diaz and Makenna Kliethermes combined to toss a four-hit shutout in a 3-0 win over Boise State in the doubleheader nightcap.
How it Happened: Oregon jumped in front from the get-go in this one, scoring three in the first inning. Cruse led off for the Ducks with a solo shot to left field to make it 1-0 before Bunker singled and moved to second on an error to set up another scoring opportunity. Felder cashed her in with a single to left field, making it 2-0, before Alyssa Brito came through with a two-out RBI base hit to drive in Felder.
Despite the hot start, the Ducks’ offense went cold after the first inning, however, the pitching staff picked up the Oregon hitters with a dominant effort. Diaz retired the first nine batters she faced and allowed just three baserunners in her five innings of work.
Diaz was lifted in the sixth inning after giving up back-to-back singles to lead off the frame. Kliethermes replaced her in the circle and got the first batter she faced to foul out on a bunt attempt, before striking out the next. She walked the next batter to load the bases with two outs, but picked up another strikeout to end the inning and keep Oregon in front, 3-0.
Game 2 Notables: The shutout was Oregon’s fourth of the season … Diaz has not allowed a run in 14 of her 18 appearances as a Duck after striking out five over five shutout innings tonight … Kliethermes recorded her first career save, fanning four over two hitless innings of relief … Cruse turned in her team-leading fourth multi-hit game of the year, going 2-for-3 with her second homer of the season.
Quotable: Head Coach Melyssa Lombardi
“I thought Samaria did a good job of pounding the zone. Towards the end they started to hit a couple of balls hard and so I felt like it was a good time to make a change and give them a different look. I loved how Makenna came in, threw strikes and really moved her ball through the zone; loved how she closed that game out.”
Overall Notables: Oregon pitching now has an ERA of 1.64 on the season with 99 strikeouts against only 14 walks … The Ducks combined for 21 strikeouts to just three walks over 14 innings in the doubleheader … Oregon scored three more runs with two outs in the doubleheader, meaning the Ducks have scored 42 of their 71 runs this year with two outs in an inning … Felder recorded a hit in both games and has now hit safely in five straight … Cruse went 3-for-6 with a pair of runs scored and two RBIs over the two games.
On Deck: The Ducks will play the same two teams again on Sunday, starting with Boise State at 12:30 p.m. followed by Portland State at 3 p.m
