Saturday, April 12
Minneapolis, MN
11:00 AM
University of Oregon
37-4, 11-1
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Minnesota
14-25, 3-12
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Oregon
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10
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Minnesota
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8
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Photo by: Aimee Sinacola/GoDucks.com
Ducks Rally for 5-4 Win at Minnesota
04/12/25 | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS – No. 4 Oregon rallied for five runs over the final two innings for a come-from-behind, 5-4 victory over Minnesota Saturday at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
Improving to 37-4 on the season, the 2025 squad matched the 2017 team for the best record through 41 games in program history. The Ducks also kept pace with No. 8 UCLA atop the Big Ten at 11-1. The Bruins are headed to Eugene next weekend for what is shaping up to be a first-place showdown.
Saturday's win was unconventional by the 2025 team's standards. It was just the second time this season that the Ducks won after trailing through five innings.
Oregon was behind 2-0 and was 1-for-11 with runners on base into the sixth inning before Emma Cox doubled to left field to break the ice. The Ducks tied it at 2-2 in the sixth and took the lead for good when Katie Flannery squeezed pinch-runner Presley Lawton home in the top of the seventh.
Oregon scored two more times in the top of the seventh for a 5-2 lead and held on as the Gophers scored twice in the bottom of the seventh before Elise Sokolsky induced a ground ball to second to end the game with the tying run on third.
"It took everybody from your starters to everyone in the dugout to win that one," said Flannery. "I think it's great to see we can win when we're behind. It's kind of a stepping stone for us. We can win in any type of way."
How It Happened: The Golden Gophers (14-25) got on the board with two outs in the third inning thanks to a bunt base hit, followed by a home run from Taylor Krapf that bounced off the top of the wall and over.
After going 1-for-11 with runners on base through the first five innings, Emma Cox delivered an RBI double to score Ayanna Shaw.
Shaw led off the top of the sixth with a pinch-hit double. Dezmon Patmon attempted to sacrifice Shaw to third but reached base on an error on the play, giving the Ducks runners at the corners. Cox then doubled to score Shaw as Patmon moved around to third. An out later, Kai Luschar singled through the right side to plate Patmon and tie the game at 2-2.
Oregon scored the go-ahead run as well as some insurance runs in the top of the seventh.
Lawton ran for Rylee McCoy who was hit by a pitch leading off the inning. She went to third on Kedre Luschar's double into right. Flannery then dropped a squeeze bunt that died between the pitcher and the catcher and Lawton slid around the tag at home for a 3-2 lead.
"It was awesome," Flannery said of her bunt. "I think it comes from what we do in practice. I wasn't nervous. I got the sign and I was, 'ok easy - bunt'. We work on that all the time. Just being able to do that got something going for us so that was good."
Flannery was safe at first on the play and stole second. Kedre Luschar then scored on a throwing error, while Flannery moved over to third.
An out later, Cox flied out to deep left to score Flannery on a sacrifice fly.
The Ducks led 5-2 following that half of the inning and needed every run as Minnesota didn't go quietly in the bottom of the seventh.
Lyndsey Grein, who came on in relief in the fourth inning, walked the leadoff batter. The Ducks got the first out of the seventh on a force at second. Grein walked another batter to give the Gophers runners at first and second. Nani Valencia's double scored a run to cut Oregon's lead to 5-3.
Sokolsky, who started Saturday's game, reentered and struck out Jessa Snippes for the second out of the seventh. Minnesota then trimmed the Ducks' lead to one with an RBI single.
But with runners on the corners, Sokolsky got Tinley Easton to ground out to Kaylynn Jones at second to end the game.
"It may not be pretty all the time but if we get it done, that's what matters," said Cox.
Sokolsky got her second save of the season, while Grein gave up two runs in 3.1 innings to improve to 21-1 on the season.
Stolen Bases Watch
Having set both the individual and team single season stolen bases school records earlier in April, the Ducks and Kai Luschar are now climbing up the Big Ten Conference's single-season lists. Kai Luschar had one steal Saturday, her 43rd of the year, to move into a tie for sixth with three other players on the league's single-season list. As a team, Oregon had three stolen bases Saturday for 133 on the season. The Ducks jumped over Penn State (131, 1997) and into a tie for sixth with Iowa (133, 1997).
BIG TEN CONFERENCE
Season Stolen Bases - Individual
1. 59 Angie Marzetta, Washington 1993
2. 52 Natasha Watley, UCLA 2001
3. 47 Tasha Reents, Iowa 1996
4. 46 Susan Harrelson, Northwestern 1995
5. 45 Emily Allard, Northwestern 2011
6. 43 Kai Luschar, Oregon 2025 – Oregon Single Season Record
43 Molly Garst, Purdue 2010
43 Liane Horiuchi, Purdue 2010
43 Jennifer Krueger, Wisconsin 2011
10. 42 Gina Bianchini, Penn State 2000
42 Liane Horiuchi, Purdue 2009
BIG TEN CONFERENCE
Season Stolen Bases - Team
1. 194 Washington 1997
2. 168 Washington 1998
3. 144 Purdue 2010
4. 142 Northwestern 1995
5. 141 Indiana 2019
6. 133 Oregon 2025 – UO Single Season Record
133 Iowa 1997
8. 131 Penn State 1997
9. 128 Maryland 2022
10. 126 Oregon 2007
Notable: Kai Luschar, Flannery and Jones all had two hits Saturday. Kedre Luschar's double was her team-leading 13th of the season … Grein leads the NCAA with 21 wins.
Quotable:
Infielder Katie Flannery after both Emma Cox and Ayanna Shaw returned to the lineup this weekend and got hits for the first time since being injured in February.
"I think you can see how lethal we are when have everybody. Just seeing those players back was awesome for everybody. I think we're all excited for them."
Up Next: Oregon's series in the Twin Cities wraps up Sunday at 10 a.m. PT (B1G+).
Improving to 37-4 on the season, the 2025 squad matched the 2017 team for the best record through 41 games in program history. The Ducks also kept pace with No. 8 UCLA atop the Big Ten at 11-1. The Bruins are headed to Eugene next weekend for what is shaping up to be a first-place showdown.
Saturday's win was unconventional by the 2025 team's standards. It was just the second time this season that the Ducks won after trailing through five innings.
Oregon was behind 2-0 and was 1-for-11 with runners on base into the sixth inning before Emma Cox doubled to left field to break the ice. The Ducks tied it at 2-2 in the sixth and took the lead for good when Katie Flannery squeezed pinch-runner Presley Lawton home in the top of the seventh.
Oregon scored two more times in the top of the seventh for a 5-2 lead and held on as the Gophers scored twice in the bottom of the seventh before Elise Sokolsky induced a ground ball to second to end the game with the tying run on third.
"It took everybody from your starters to everyone in the dugout to win that one," said Flannery. "I think it's great to see we can win when we're behind. It's kind of a stepping stone for us. We can win in any type of way."
How It Happened: The Golden Gophers (14-25) got on the board with two outs in the third inning thanks to a bunt base hit, followed by a home run from Taylor Krapf that bounced off the top of the wall and over.
After going 1-for-11 with runners on base through the first five innings, Emma Cox delivered an RBI double to score Ayanna Shaw.
Shaw led off the top of the sixth with a pinch-hit double. Dezmon Patmon attempted to sacrifice Shaw to third but reached base on an error on the play, giving the Ducks runners at the corners. Cox then doubled to score Shaw as Patmon moved around to third. An out later, Kai Luschar singled through the right side to plate Patmon and tie the game at 2-2.
Oregon scored the go-ahead run as well as some insurance runs in the top of the seventh.
Lawton ran for Rylee McCoy who was hit by a pitch leading off the inning. She went to third on Kedre Luschar's double into right. Flannery then dropped a squeeze bunt that died between the pitcher and the catcher and Lawton slid around the tag at home for a 3-2 lead.
"It was awesome," Flannery said of her bunt. "I think it comes from what we do in practice. I wasn't nervous. I got the sign and I was, 'ok easy - bunt'. We work on that all the time. Just being able to do that got something going for us so that was good."
Flannery was safe at first on the play and stole second. Kedre Luschar then scored on a throwing error, while Flannery moved over to third.
An out later, Cox flied out to deep left to score Flannery on a sacrifice fly.
The Ducks led 5-2 following that half of the inning and needed every run as Minnesota didn't go quietly in the bottom of the seventh.
Lyndsey Grein, who came on in relief in the fourth inning, walked the leadoff batter. The Ducks got the first out of the seventh on a force at second. Grein walked another batter to give the Gophers runners at first and second. Nani Valencia's double scored a run to cut Oregon's lead to 5-3.
Sokolsky, who started Saturday's game, reentered and struck out Jessa Snippes for the second out of the seventh. Minnesota then trimmed the Ducks' lead to one with an RBI single.
But with runners on the corners, Sokolsky got Tinley Easton to ground out to Kaylynn Jones at second to end the game.
"It may not be pretty all the time but if we get it done, that's what matters," said Cox.
Sokolsky got her second save of the season, while Grein gave up two runs in 3.1 innings to improve to 21-1 on the season.
Stolen Bases Watch
Having set both the individual and team single season stolen bases school records earlier in April, the Ducks and Kai Luschar are now climbing up the Big Ten Conference's single-season lists. Kai Luschar had one steal Saturday, her 43rd of the year, to move into a tie for sixth with three other players on the league's single-season list. As a team, Oregon had three stolen bases Saturday for 133 on the season. The Ducks jumped over Penn State (131, 1997) and into a tie for sixth with Iowa (133, 1997).
BIG TEN CONFERENCE
Season Stolen Bases - Individual
1. 59 Angie Marzetta, Washington 1993
2. 52 Natasha Watley, UCLA 2001
3. 47 Tasha Reents, Iowa 1996
4. 46 Susan Harrelson, Northwestern 1995
5. 45 Emily Allard, Northwestern 2011
6. 43 Kai Luschar, Oregon 2025 – Oregon Single Season Record
43 Molly Garst, Purdue 2010
43 Liane Horiuchi, Purdue 2010
43 Jennifer Krueger, Wisconsin 2011
10. 42 Gina Bianchini, Penn State 2000
42 Liane Horiuchi, Purdue 2009
BIG TEN CONFERENCE
Season Stolen Bases - Team
1. 194 Washington 1997
2. 168 Washington 1998
3. 144 Purdue 2010
4. 142 Northwestern 1995
5. 141 Indiana 2019
6. 133 Oregon 2025 – UO Single Season Record
133 Iowa 1997
8. 131 Penn State 1997
9. 128 Maryland 2022
10. 126 Oregon 2007
Notable: Kai Luschar, Flannery and Jones all had two hits Saturday. Kedre Luschar's double was her team-leading 13th of the season … Grein leads the NCAA with 21 wins.
Quotable:
Infielder Katie Flannery after both Emma Cox and Ayanna Shaw returned to the lineup this weekend and got hits for the first time since being injured in February.
"I think you can see how lethal we are when have everybody. Just seeing those players back was awesome for everybody. I think we're all excited for them."
Up Next: Oregon's series in the Twin Cities wraps up Sunday at 10 a.m. PT (B1G+).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Grein, Lyndsey (21-1)
L: Schwartz (5-13)
S: Sokolsky, Elise (2)
Batting:
2B: Luschar, Kedre 1 ; Shaw, Ayanna 1 ; Cox, Emma 1
3B: Jones, Kaylynn 2
RBI: Luschar, Kai 1 ; Flannery, Katie 1 ; Cox, Emma 2
SH: Flannery, Katie 1 ; Patmon, Dezianna 1
SF: Cox, Emma 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lawton, Presley 1 ; Luschar, Kedre 1 ; Flannery, Katie 1 ; Shaw, Ayanna 1 ; Patmon, Dezianna 1
SB: Luschar, Kai 1 ; Sinicki, Paige 1 ; Flannery, Katie 1
CS: Luschar, Kai 1
HBP: McCoy, Rylee 1
Batting:
2B: Valencia 1
HR: Krapf 1
RBI: Krapf 2 ; Valencia 1 ; Burnett 1
SH: Tobias 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tobias 2 ; Krapf 1 ; Gardner 1
SB: Tobias 1
HBP: Tobias 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
C/UTL
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
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