Oregon Ducks Make Hits Count, Sweep Florida State

Oregon Softball honored three Seniors before the game on Sunday against Florida State. Sammy Puentes, Danica Mercado, and Nikki Udria were honored before the final regular season game of the season for the Oregon Ducks.

Miranda Elish had a scoreless and hitless first inning, but gave up a hit and RBI in the top of the second on an outfield error. The Seminoles took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the second inning.

It was a pitchers duel till the top of the fifth. Elish threw four inning of five hit ball with five strikeouts before running into trouble. Florida State had a runner on third with their best hitter at the plate in Jessica Warren. Elish ran a 1-2 count before Warren flew out to center field.

Shannon Rhodes was able to break through with the Ducks first hit in the bottom of the fifth. She stole second base and was in scoring position with two outs. Elish took the count to1 and 2 and hit a ball to center field scoring Rhodes and tying the game at 1-1.

Miranda Elish kept Florida State in check in the top of the sixth. Jenna Lilley opened the bottom of the frame with a single. Seminoles Starter Jessica Burroughs ended the inning striking out Gwen Svekis with the game still tied entering the top of the 7^th inning.

Oregon and Florida State went to extra innings and Mike White would turn to Megan Kleist to continue the pitching momentum that carried the Ducks to two wins and looking for the series sweep.

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Kleist was not effective with the first to Florida State batters reaching as Alex Powers came to bat with two on and no outs in the inning. Mike White moved pitchers again bringing in Maggie Balint. She worked an 0-1 count to 2-2 before striking out Powers for the first out of the inning.

Balint did her job and did it well as Svekis got the out at the plate and Mercado caught the third out in right field. Burroughs did the same in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Freshman Maggie Balint in relief had four strikeouts through six hitters as Oregon came to bat in the bottom of the ninth. Danica Mercado opened the inning with a leadoff double sending the sellout crowd into a frenzy. Megan Kleist came to the plate, had a strike called and was replaced with Maddie Bishop who got down a bunt sending Mercado to third base with one out.

Gwen Svekis came through with a fly ball to right and it was over. Mercado came home as the winning run and the three game sweep of Florida State was complete. It was the first time that the Seminoles were swept this season and a Statement Winning Series for the Oregon Ducks.

Next: Oregon Ducks Run-Rule Florida State

Oregon wraps up the regular season this week at Stanford starting Thursday.