Oregon Ducks Softball Takes Out Baylor, Moves On To NCAA Super Regional

Oregon Ducks Starter Cheridan Hawkins had moments of trouble, but the Oregon Defense got her out of it as she threw another solid game through five innings to earn the win and send Oregon to the Super Regional next weekend.

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The Oregon Ducks would begin the third game of the Eugene Regional from a different perspective. They were the away team and got to Baylor Starter Heather Stearns early in the game loading the bases with one out before Janelle Lindvall lifted a ball to center field scoring Jenna Lilley from third and an early 1-0 lead.

Stearns settled down in the second, allowing Alyssa Gillespie to reach with two outs in the inning. Jenna Lilley would double to center scoring Gillespie to make it 2-0 Oregon. Through two innings the Ducks had three hits. Oregon Starter Cheridan Hawkins would find trouble in the second inning and give up a hit and see an error followed by a walk. The bases were loaded with Bears. Hawkins struck out Robin Landrith and would see a ball back to her glove to throw out Kyla Walker to end the inning.

There was a brief seven minute rain delay between innings as Oregon came to bat before the top of the third. Stearns was settling in and saw a quick 1-2-3 inning. Oregon plated another run in the top of the fourth after an Alyssa Gillespie double scored Hailey Decker.

Geri Ann Glasco would add a double in the top of the fifth. Janelle Lindvall sacrificed plating Nikki Udria and a 4-0 Oregon lead. Lauren Lindvall also picked up a hit to make it 5-0 Oregon. Maddie Bishop came in to pinch hit and added a double, but Hailer Decker was tagged out a first to end the inning.

Cheridan Hawkins would see two Baylor runners reach base before Mike White called on Freshman Megan Kleist to finish the game with a 5-0 lead. The Ducks would see new Baylor Pitcher Kelsee Selman. Nikki Udria would see 10 pitches with two runners on. The eleventh pitch she hit over the center field wall for a three run blast, which if Oregon was the home team the 8-0 lead would have given them the win, but with Baylor being the home team, the Ducks would have to be patient a little bit longer. Baylor tacked on a run in the bottom of the sixth, but that was all.

Oregon won in the end giving Head Coach Mike White his 21st consecutive win in the Regional Round for the seventh straight season he has been at the University of Oregon.

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White and the Oregon Ducks would move on to the Super Regional, which will take place next weekend on Saturday and Sunday in Eugene in a Best of Three series against the UCLA Bruins for the chance to go to the College World Series.