Oregon Softball: Ducks Drop Series vs Washington Huskies

The Oregon Ducks have dropped back to back series for the first time in five years after falling to Washington on Saturday.

Oregon Softball looked to get a series win over the Washington Huskies. The Ducks Offense over the last two weeks has been well below par. The top half of the lineup managed to get the job done for a 4-1 win on Friday night.

To start the game in the circle Miranda Elish got out of the first inning giving up just a hit. Jenna Lilley started the bottom of the first innings for the second day in a row for Oregon. She worked a 3-0 count before the first strike was thrown. The cold streak continued. She as out at first. Alexis Mack followed with a flyout to right. Mia Camuso struck out to end the inning.

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Nikki Udria started the second inning with a double, but the inning ended without her getting to cross home plate in the bottom of the second.

A fourth-inning error scored the first run of the game for the Washington Huskies. Mia Camuso at first base could not handle the ball as it rolled into right field scoring the Huskies run. Miranda Elish picked up the first two outs in the inning, both were flyouts as Maggie Balint entered the game to get the final out of the inning.

Nikki Udria, who already had a double came to bat in the bottom of the fourth inning and hit a two-run home run to right field giving the Oregon Ducks a 2-1 lead over Washington.

Maggie Balint escaped a key sequence in the top of the sixth inning with runners on second and third. She struck out Kelly Burdick to end the top half of the innings. Oregon was off to a good start in the bottom of the inning.

Jenna Lilley worked a walk bringing up Alexis Mack. Washington recorded back to back outs bringing up Nikki Udria who already had a double and a home run in the game for Oregon. Udria came through with an RBI Single scoring Jenna Lilley. Oregon added to their lead to make it 3-1 Ducks, but Washington was not done.

The Huskies scored two runs in the top of the seventh off Megan Kleist before Jenna Lilley caught a line drive and flipped to second for a double play tying the game at 3.

Oregon was unable to score a run in the bottom of the seventh. The top of the eighth Kirstyn Thomas singled on a bang-bang play at first base. Megan Kleist came through to get the job done and get the Ducks out of the inning.

Kleist found herself with two on and no one out in the top of the ninth inning. She had a mental error throwing to second base where the runner was safe rather than going to first for what could have been an easier out. Washington scored two runs in the inning to take a 5-3 lead.

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In the end, it was enough for Washington to win the series. The Oregon Ducks have now lost back to back Pac-12 series for the first time since 2012 and hit the road this week to take on First Place Arizona. The top 8 seeds receive bids to host the NCAA Regionals next month.