Saturday, April 25
Eugene, OR
4:00 PM
University of Oregon
37-10, 0
13
vs
6
Ohio State
24-24, 0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Oregon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 6 | X | 13 | 16 | 1 |
Photo by: GoDucks.com
Ducks Blast Buckeyes, 13-6
04/25/26 | Softball
EUGENE, Ore. — Emma Cox hit two home runs – her sixth and seventh in the last nine games – and Katie Flannery broke the game open with a sixth-inning grand slam as No. 12 Oregon outslugged Ohio State, 13-6, Saturday in front of 2,383 fans at Jane Sanders Stadium.
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Ohio State only had four hits on the day, but all four were home runs, three solo shots and a three-run homer in the third inning. The Ducks countered with four long balls of their own but did most of their damage with runners on.
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The Ducks (37-10, 17-3) overcame a 4-0 deficit for their 18th come-from-behind victory of the season. Down four runs in the bottom of the fourth, Elon Butler's three-run home run with two outs uncorked Oregon's offense. The Ducks then scored 10 runs over the fifth and sixth innings.
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Down 5-3 in the fifth inning, Cox homered with Amari Harper aboard to tie the game at 5-5. The Ducks then loaded the bases on three consecutive singles before a throwing error allowed pinch-runner Regan Legg to score and give Oregon the lead for the first time in the game. Freshman Amanda Urbina followed with a sacrifice fly that made it 7-5.
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Ohio State' fourth home run of the game in the sixth cut the Ducks' lead to 7-6. For the second time in the game, Harper walked ahead of Cox, who deposited a homer high into the netting in left field, making it a 9-6 game. The Ducks then loaded the bases on an error and two singles before Flannery unloaded them on her first home run of 2026.
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The Ducks scored 13 runs on 16 hits to bounce back from just their second shutout loss on the season on Friday. Oregon will attempt to win its 15th Big Ten series in a row on Sunday (12 p.m., B1G+).
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"I think this group, they always respond when things don't go our way," said coach Melyssa Lombardi. "They always respond. Every single version has done that since I've been here, and I appreciate that.
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"We knew it was going to be again, two heavyweights going at it and just throwing blow for blow," said Lombardi. "So, I thought once we settled in on our defense, you saw our offense settle in the middle of the game and put up three runs in the fourth inning, four runs in the fifth inning, six runs in the sixth inning."
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Elise Sokolsky started and gave up five runs – four earned – on just three hits but did a good job of keeping runners off base, which limited the Buckeyes' ability to put up big numbers via the long ball. She struck out four and walked two to improve to 7-2 on the season. Lyndsey Grein threw the final two innings and retired the last six batters she faced to pick up her first save of the year.
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"I love the way Elise and Lyndsey came in and threw," said Lombardi. "I thought they were great, and I just loved how we finished the game. I thought we started off a little shaky, and with that, could have stayed shaky, but we didn't.
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"I think that's just a sign of a really mature team that's united and together, to be able, in-game, to make some changes effectively and quickly," said Lombardi.
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How It Happened: Ohio State leadoff batter Hadley Parisien hit a home run to left field on the very first pitch she saw from Sokolsky.
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The Buckeyes (24-24, 11-9) then scored three unorthodox runs in the top of the third. Skylar Limon blooped a pop-up into shallow right field. Second baseman Kaylann Jones retreated and dove for the ball, which ricocheted off the end of her glove and into no-man's land down the right field line, which allowed Limon to scamper around the bases for an inside-the-park home run.
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Ohio State scored twice more in the third without the benefit of a hit. Parisen walked and Taylor Cruse was hit by a pitch. Kiki Estrada hit a come-backer to Sokolsky but her throw to force Cruse at second went into center field and allowed Parisen to score, while Cruse ended up at third. She scored on an RBI ground out.
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Oregon's comeback started in the fourth inning with a Taryn Ho double and a single by Addison Amaral. Two outs later, Butler hit her team-leading 16th home run of the season and the Ducks were back in the game at 4-3.
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Another solo home run in the top of the five gave Ohio State a temporary 5-3 lead before the Ducks took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth.
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Harper walked on a 3-2 pitch, and then on the ninth pitch of her at-bat – after fouling off four straight pitches – Cox homered to tie the game at 5-5. Stefini Ma'ake, Ho and Amaral all followed with singles, before the Ducks scored twice on a throwing error and Urbina's sacrifice fly that plated her first career RBI.
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The Buckeyes' last solo homer of the game made it 7-6 in the top of the sixth before Cox and Flannery put the game out of reach in the bottom of the frame.
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Harper's third walk of the day preceded Cox's second homer of the day, making it 9-6. Ho reached on an error and Amaral and Ayanna Shaw singled to load the bases for Flannery. On a 2-1 pitch Flannery sent a drive out to center that landed halfway up the outfield bleachers and all but decided the outcome of Saturday's game.
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"Katie (Flannery) has been like the best role model I can play next to, and she's been someone I've looked up to since I got here," said Ho. "So just seeing her succeed means a lot, and I just want to be like that. So, it's great to see."
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Notable: Urbina's sacrifice fly was Oregon's NCAA-leading and school-record 33rd of the season … Three Ducks had three hits on Saturday – Cox, Ho and Amaral – while Butler and Ma'ake both had two hits … Amaral and Ho both tied their career highs for hits in a game … Butler's 16th home run is one off her career high of 17 set during her 2024 All-American season at California.
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Quotable
Head Coach Melyssa Lombardi on freshman shortstop Taryn Ho...
"Just watching Taryn, she's so free at the plate. She's so aggressive. I love the way she plays. She's just fearless. Nothing bothers her. She just gets up and she takes her hacks. She never goes up to the plate and doesn't take her hacks. And that's what I appreciate about her. And when you do that, good things happen. She had a great day on offense, a great day on defense."
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Catcher Emma Cox...
"I think we just took (Friday's) loss really hard, and we took it to heart, and we knew what we had to do coming in today, and we did exactly that. We didn't give up, we fought to the end, and we just trusted in each other and believed in each other."
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Up Next: Oregon and Ohio State will decide the series Sunday at noon on Senior Day (B1G+). The Ducks will honor their six seniors – Elon Butler, Lyndsey Grein, Amari Harper, Remmington Hewitt, Trinity Holden and Elise Sokolsky – in an on-field postgame ceremony.
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Ohio State only had four hits on the day, but all four were home runs, three solo shots and a three-run homer in the third inning. The Ducks countered with four long balls of their own but did most of their damage with runners on.
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The Ducks (37-10, 17-3) overcame a 4-0 deficit for their 18th come-from-behind victory of the season. Down four runs in the bottom of the fourth, Elon Butler's three-run home run with two outs uncorked Oregon's offense. The Ducks then scored 10 runs over the fifth and sixth innings.
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Down 5-3 in the fifth inning, Cox homered with Amari Harper aboard to tie the game at 5-5. The Ducks then loaded the bases on three consecutive singles before a throwing error allowed pinch-runner Regan Legg to score and give Oregon the lead for the first time in the game. Freshman Amanda Urbina followed with a sacrifice fly that made it 7-5.
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Ohio State' fourth home run of the game in the sixth cut the Ducks' lead to 7-6. For the second time in the game, Harper walked ahead of Cox, who deposited a homer high into the netting in left field, making it a 9-6 game. The Ducks then loaded the bases on an error and two singles before Flannery unloaded them on her first home run of 2026.
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The Ducks scored 13 runs on 16 hits to bounce back from just their second shutout loss on the season on Friday. Oregon will attempt to win its 15th Big Ten series in a row on Sunday (12 p.m., B1G+).
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"I think this group, they always respond when things don't go our way," said coach Melyssa Lombardi. "They always respond. Every single version has done that since I've been here, and I appreciate that.
Â
"We knew it was going to be again, two heavyweights going at it and just throwing blow for blow," said Lombardi. "So, I thought once we settled in on our defense, you saw our offense settle in the middle of the game and put up three runs in the fourth inning, four runs in the fifth inning, six runs in the sixth inning."
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Elise Sokolsky started and gave up five runs – four earned – on just three hits but did a good job of keeping runners off base, which limited the Buckeyes' ability to put up big numbers via the long ball. She struck out four and walked two to improve to 7-2 on the season. Lyndsey Grein threw the final two innings and retired the last six batters she faced to pick up her first save of the year.
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"I love the way Elise and Lyndsey came in and threw," said Lombardi. "I thought they were great, and I just loved how we finished the game. I thought we started off a little shaky, and with that, could have stayed shaky, but we didn't.
Â
"I think that's just a sign of a really mature team that's united and together, to be able, in-game, to make some changes effectively and quickly," said Lombardi.
Â
How It Happened: Ohio State leadoff batter Hadley Parisien hit a home run to left field on the very first pitch she saw from Sokolsky.
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The Buckeyes (24-24, 11-9) then scored three unorthodox runs in the top of the third. Skylar Limon blooped a pop-up into shallow right field. Second baseman Kaylann Jones retreated and dove for the ball, which ricocheted off the end of her glove and into no-man's land down the right field line, which allowed Limon to scamper around the bases for an inside-the-park home run.
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Ohio State scored twice more in the third without the benefit of a hit. Parisen walked and Taylor Cruse was hit by a pitch. Kiki Estrada hit a come-backer to Sokolsky but her throw to force Cruse at second went into center field and allowed Parisen to score, while Cruse ended up at third. She scored on an RBI ground out.
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Oregon's comeback started in the fourth inning with a Taryn Ho double and a single by Addison Amaral. Two outs later, Butler hit her team-leading 16th home run of the season and the Ducks were back in the game at 4-3.
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Another solo home run in the top of the five gave Ohio State a temporary 5-3 lead before the Ducks took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth.
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Harper walked on a 3-2 pitch, and then on the ninth pitch of her at-bat – after fouling off four straight pitches – Cox homered to tie the game at 5-5. Stefini Ma'ake, Ho and Amaral all followed with singles, before the Ducks scored twice on a throwing error and Urbina's sacrifice fly that plated her first career RBI.
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The Buckeyes' last solo homer of the game made it 7-6 in the top of the sixth before Cox and Flannery put the game out of reach in the bottom of the frame.
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Harper's third walk of the day preceded Cox's second homer of the day, making it 9-6. Ho reached on an error and Amaral and Ayanna Shaw singled to load the bases for Flannery. On a 2-1 pitch Flannery sent a drive out to center that landed halfway up the outfield bleachers and all but decided the outcome of Saturday's game.
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"Katie (Flannery) has been like the best role model I can play next to, and she's been someone I've looked up to since I got here," said Ho. "So just seeing her succeed means a lot, and I just want to be like that. So, it's great to see."
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Notable: Urbina's sacrifice fly was Oregon's NCAA-leading and school-record 33rd of the season … Three Ducks had three hits on Saturday – Cox, Ho and Amaral – while Butler and Ma'ake both had two hits … Amaral and Ho both tied their career highs for hits in a game … Butler's 16th home run is one off her career high of 17 set during her 2024 All-American season at California.
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Quotable
Head Coach Melyssa Lombardi on freshman shortstop Taryn Ho...
"Just watching Taryn, she's so free at the plate. She's so aggressive. I love the way she plays. She's just fearless. Nothing bothers her. She just gets up and she takes her hacks. She never goes up to the plate and doesn't take her hacks. And that's what I appreciate about her. And when you do that, good things happen. She had a great day on offense, a great day on defense."
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Catcher Emma Cox...
"I think we just took (Friday's) loss really hard, and we took it to heart, and we knew what we had to do coming in today, and we did exactly that. We didn't give up, we fought to the end, and we just trusted in each other and believed in each other."
Â
Up Next: Oregon and Ohio State will decide the series Sunday at noon on Senior Day (B1G+). The Ducks will honor their six seniors – Elon Butler, Lyndsey Grein, Amari Harper, Remmington Hewitt, Trinity Holden and Elise Sokolsky – in an on-field postgame ceremony.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sokolsky, Elise (7-2)
L: Boutte, Lorin (6-6)
S: Grein, Lyndsey (1)
Batting:
HR: Parisien, Hadley 1 ; Wilhelm, Abbie 1 ; Bewick, Sami 1 ; Limon, Skylar 1
RBI: Parisien, Hadley 1 ; Wilhelm, Abbie 1 ; Bewick, Sami 2 ; Limon, Skylar 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Parisien, Hadley 2 ; Wilhelm, Abbie 1 ; Cruse, Taylor 1 ; Bewick, Sami 1 ; Limon, Skylar 1
HBP: Cruse, Taylor 1
Batting:
2B: Ho, Taryn 1
HR: Butler, Elon 1 ; Cox, Emma 2 ; Flannery, Katie 1
RBI: Butler, Elon 3 ; Cox, Emma 4 ; Flannery, Katie 4 ; Urbina, Amanda 1
SH: Shaw, Ayanna 1
SF: Urbina, Amanda 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Butler, Elon 1 ; Harper, Amari 1 ; Kresho, Elyse 1 ; Cox, Emma 2 ; Legg, Regan 1 ; Ho, Taryn 3 ; Amaral, Addison 2 ; Shaw, Ayanna 1 ; Flannery, Katie 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
INF
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INF
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RHP
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UTIL
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INF
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C
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OF
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INF/OF
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OF
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RHP
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INF
/ SoftballEmma Cox | Postgame - Ohio State (Game 2)
Sunday, April 26
Taryn Ho | Postgame - Ohio State (Game 2)
Sunday, April 26
Melyssa Lombardi | Postgame - Ohio State (Game 2)
Sunday, April 26
Melyssa Lombardi | Postgame - Ohio State (April 24)
Saturday, April 25
