Oregon softball (11-1) continued its historic start to the 2025 season by defeating California (6-3) in a gritty 5-4 performance.
The Ducks trailed 2-0 in their first game of the weekend entering the bottom of the first. Elise Sokolsky started inside the circle but only lasted 2 ⅔ after early struggles.
Freshman catcher Emma Cox cut into the first-inning deficit with an RBI double at the bottom of the inning. Fellow freshman Rylee McCoy gifted Oregon the lead on the next at-bat. She homered to left field on a full count and with an out away from the end of the first.
Sokolsky pitched a three-up, three-down second inning, but her nerves returned in the third. The Golden Bears recorded three hits, a stolen base and a game-tying run.
Oregon head coach Melyssa Lombardi made the pitching change and sophomore Taylour Spencer retired the top of the inning.
McCoy seemingly tacked on a fourth Ducks run in the bottom of the third. Instead, the umpires called it foul and she hit a flyout.
The 2024 Golden Glove winner Paige Sinicki still gave Oregon the advantage on the following at-bat. She hit a triple down the left field line and two came in to score as she slid to third.
Cal continued to stay close. Alyssa Herrera sent a rocket over the left field wall to bring it back to a one-score game in the fourth.
Lyndsey Grein finished the game on the mound for the Ducks after a one-inning stint from Spencer. Oregon shut out the Golden Bears with Grein on the mound but couldn’t add to its lead.
Grein was one out away from pitching a no-hitter in her 3 ⅓ innings pitched but allowed Cal’s leadoff hitter to tally a two-out double. The Golden Bears’ fourth batter of the inning hit a flyout and the Ducks escaped with the victory.
Oregon is set to play the second game of Thursday’s doubleheader at 12:30 p.m. It’ll face off against No. 5 Tennessee in the second of five games at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
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