Friday, May 3
Salt Lake City, UT
5:00 PM
University of Oregon
21-26, 0
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at
4
Utah
17-32, 0
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2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Oregon
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
3
10
0
Utah
2
0
1
0
0
0
1
4
7
1
Ducks Fall on Walk-Off in Series Opener
05/03/19 | Softball
SALT LAKE CITY – A shorthanded Oregon softball team rallied with three runs in the fifth inning to pull even in the series opener against Utah on Friday night, but the Ducks ultimately lost, 4-3, on a walk-off single in the seventh inning at Dumke Family Softball Stadium.
How it Happened: Oregon (21-26, 4-15) was unable to take advantage of a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the top of the first inning, and then fell behind in the bottom half as Utah scored two runs on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and an RBI single. Cherish Burks helped limit the damage on the single, throwing a second runner out at the plate from left field.
Utah (17-32, 5-14) added one more in the third inning as a leadoff hit-by-pitch came around to score on a passed ball. The Ducks had multiple runners on in both the third and the fourth innings, but were unable to take advantage.
Oregon's offense came to life in the fifth, scoring three runs on five hits to make it a 3-3 ballgame. After back-to-back singles by Allee Bunker and Shaye Bowden, Rachel Cid put the Ducks on the board with a sharp RBI single to center field. April Utecht followed with a screaming line drive over the left-field fence for a two-run homer to tie the game.
Cid roped a one-out single in the seventh and Utecht followed with one of her own to right field, but a tremendous throw from Utah right fielder Ally Dickman got pinch-runner Bayley Bruner at third to help keep the Ducks off the board. A one-out double and a stolen base put the winning run at third for the Utes in the bottom half, and Breonna Castaneda delivered a two-out, walk-off RBI single up the middle to give Utah the series opener.
At the Plate: Bunker, Bowden, Cid and Utecht all finished with two hits to account for eight of Oregon's 10 knocks. Utecht drove in two and retook the team lead with her 10th home run, and Cid added an RBI. Burks and Lexi Wagner also each had a single, and Annalisa Williamson worked a pair of walks.
In the Circle: Dail (17-14) continued to carry the load in the circle for the Ducks, allowing four runs, three earned, with seven strikeouts over 6.2 innings. Dail has thrown 220.1 innings in 2019, currently good for No. 10 on the UO single-season list, and she is now tied for seventh in program history with 224 strikeouts.
Notable: Oregon was forced to play without its two leading hitters, center fielder Haley Cruse and shortstop Jasmine Sievers, as both were out with injuries, and Bowden left the game in the fifth inning with an apparent injury.
What it Means: The Ducks must now win their final five games of the regular season to reach .500 and become eligible for the NCAA Tournament. Oregon will play two more this weekend against the Utes before hosting Arizona State next weekend at Jane Sanders Stadium.
Up Next: Oregon and Utah will meet in game two of the three-game series at 11 a.m. PT on Saturday (Pac-12 Networks).
How it Happened: Oregon (21-26, 4-15) was unable to take advantage of a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the top of the first inning, and then fell behind in the bottom half as Utah scored two runs on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and an RBI single. Cherish Burks helped limit the damage on the single, throwing a second runner out at the plate from left field.
Utah (17-32, 5-14) added one more in the third inning as a leadoff hit-by-pitch came around to score on a passed ball. The Ducks had multiple runners on in both the third and the fourth innings, but were unable to take advantage.
Oregon's offense came to life in the fifth, scoring three runs on five hits to make it a 3-3 ballgame. After back-to-back singles by Allee Bunker and Shaye Bowden, Rachel Cid put the Ducks on the board with a sharp RBI single to center field. April Utecht followed with a screaming line drive over the left-field fence for a two-run homer to tie the game.
Starter Jordan Dail worked out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the bottom half of the fifth, and the sixth inning played out similarly as the Utes put two runners in scoring position with one out. But Dail fielded her position for the second out and then ended the threat with a strikeout to keep the game tied.Have we mentioned @april_utecht is CLUTCH?
— Oregon Softball (@OregonSB) May 4, 2019
The senior's 10th home run of the season is a big one as she makes this a 3-3 ballgame! #GoDucks
?? @Pac12Network pic.twitter.com/s2llSFRCFk
Cid roped a one-out single in the seventh and Utecht followed with one of her own to right field, but a tremendous throw from Utah right fielder Ally Dickman got pinch-runner Bayley Bruner at third to help keep the Ducks off the board. A one-out double and a stolen base put the winning run at third for the Utes in the bottom half, and Breonna Castaneda delivered a two-out, walk-off RBI single up the middle to give Utah the series opener.
At the Plate: Bunker, Bowden, Cid and Utecht all finished with two hits to account for eight of Oregon's 10 knocks. Utecht drove in two and retook the team lead with her 10th home run, and Cid added an RBI. Burks and Lexi Wagner also each had a single, and Annalisa Williamson worked a pair of walks.
In the Circle: Dail (17-14) continued to carry the load in the circle for the Ducks, allowing four runs, three earned, with seven strikeouts over 6.2 innings. Dail has thrown 220.1 innings in 2019, currently good for No. 10 on the UO single-season list, and she is now tied for seventh in program history with 224 strikeouts.
Notable: Oregon was forced to play without its two leading hitters, center fielder Haley Cruse and shortstop Jasmine Sievers, as both were out with injuries, and Bowden left the game in the fifth inning with an apparent injury.
What it Means: The Ducks must now win their final five games of the regular season to reach .500 and become eligible for the NCAA Tournament. Oregon will play two more this weekend against the Utes before hosting Arizona State next weekend at Jane Sanders Stadium.
Up Next: Oregon and Utah will meet in game two of the three-game series at 11 a.m. PT on Saturday (Pac-12 Networks).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sydney Sandez (9-8)
L: Dail, Jordan (17-14)
Batting:
HR: Utecht, April 1
RBI: Cid, Rachel 1 ; Utecht, April 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Bunker, Allee 1 ; Cid, Rachel 1 ; Utecht, April 1
SB: Bowden, Shaye 1
CS: Bunker, Allee 1
Batting:
2B: Alyssa Barrera 1
RBI: Alyssa Barrera 1 ; BreOnna Castaneda 2
SH: Sydney Sandez 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Julia Noskin 1 ; Ally Dickman 1 ; Ellessa Bonstrom 1 ; Alyssa Barrera 1
SB: Alyssa Barrera 1
CS: Ryley Ball 1
HBP: Ellessa Bonstrom 1 ; Alyssa Barrera 2
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
UT
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UT
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballIF
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OF
/ Softball
LHP
/ SoftballC/1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
C
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