NCAA Tournament: Oregon Ducks Have No Answers For Kentucky Home Runs In Loss

Oregon Softball dropped the first of a three-game series with Kentucky. The Wildcats outplayed Oregon on their home field with three home runs in a 9-6 win.

The Oregon Ducks met the Kentucky Wildcats in the Super Regional Round of the NCAA Tournament. It is a Best of Three Series and one team would have a leg up on the competition following Game One on Thursday night. Oregon sent Megan Kleist and her 0.96 Earned Run Average into the circle against Erin Rethlake from Kentucky with 11 wins and 9 complete games on the season.

Megan Kleist opened the game with a strikeout before running into trouble. She gave up a hit and a walk putting to Wildcats on base. Alex Martens took a pitch over the wall in right-center to give Kentucky a 3-0 lead in the top of the first off Kleist. Oregon has given up just five runs in the first inning all season including the three runs against Kentucky.

After giving up three runs off two hits, Kleist settled down to record a strikeout to end the inning.

Oregon was held off the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. Kleist had an error in the top of the second that allowed another run to score before the inning came to a close. Four runs is the most that Oregon Starter Megan Kleist has given up all season.

Gwen Svekis opened the bottom of the second with a home run to make it 4-1 Kentucky.

Oregon used back to back bunts and speed to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the third awakening the sold-out crowd at Jane Sanders Stadium. Shannon Rhodes hit into a fielders choice and the throw to the plate was late as Mia Camuso scored to pull within 2 at 4-2. The Ducks ended the day for Starter Erin Rethlake with one out.

Gwen Svekis hit the ball to right field for an out and Rhodes was thrown out at second, but not before another Oregon run scored to pull within one at 4-3.

Kentucky added three runs off another home run in the top of the fourth. The 7 runs is the most that Oregon has allowed in a game this season. The Wildcats led 7-3 entering the bottom of the fourth.

The Oregon Ducks opened the bottom of the fourth with Haley Cruse and DJ Sanders picking up hits. Lauren Burke entered to pinch hit with runners on the corners and no one out. Burke came through with a hit as the Ducks scored a run to make it 7-4. Lindvall struck out bringing up Mia Camuso. Camuso was thrown out at first bringing Jenna Lilley to the plate.

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Oregon had runners on second and third with two outs. DJ Sanders scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-5 Kentucky. The Ducks added three runs in the inning to narrow the gap again. When Oregon returned on Defense, Maggie Balint was in the circle. Balint struck out the first Kentucky batter, hit the second then settled in. She did not allow a Kentucky runner to cross home plate for just the second inning in the game.

With one out and one on, Kentucky hit their third home run of the game to make it 9-5 Wildcats. The last time Oregon gave up 10 hits in a game was April of last season at Arizona.

To open the bottom of the sixth, Haley Cruse hit a single followed by a double by DJ Sanders scoring Cruse to make it 9-6. In the end, that was the final score.

Oregon Starter Megan Kleist appeared human giving up 7 runs and 7 hits in 4 2/3 innings. Maggie Balint did her best to stop the Wildcats scoring, but as Oregon Catcher Gwen Svekis said postgame, “You can’t defend the long ball.”

Oregon needs to win two games back to back to win the series. Game two is set for 8 pm Pacific Time on ESPN. Miranda Elish will be in the circle for the Oregon Ducks.

Quotes obtained firsthand at Oregon Ducks Post Game Media Availability