NCAA Tournament: Oregon Ducks Bring Experience Into Oklahoma City

Oregon Softball heads back to Oklahoma City for the fourth time in five years bringing key experience for success.

The Oregon Ducks have won five of six games in the NCAA Tournament so far in sweeping the Regional and coming back to take two of three against Kentucky to make it to Oklahoma City. It is a season reset of sorts for the eight teams in the Women’s College World Series, four of which are out of the Pac-12 Conference with Oregon, UCLA, Arizona State, and Washington.

Oregon Catcher Gwen Svekis said familiarity with seven of the eight teams playing in the Women’s College World Series gives Oregon the edge in one key area – being comfortable, “We’ve played the majority of the teams, we’ve beat the majority of the teams…this year it’s like more like we have the confidence we can go out and play with anyone.”

Miranda Elish was lights it in back to back appearances to earn both wins against Kentucky last weekend. It is a blessing of sorts when the team has two pitchers with Starting experience that are ready to do. Last Friday Megan Kleist had her worst performance of the season giving up 7 hits and 7 runs in a Super Regional Round loss.

A bad day in Oklahoma City is something Head Coach Mike White does not want to see, “You’ve gotta get through Sunday with two lives. It’s just too difficult to go through the losers bracket with that quality competition. You’ve gotta win the first two.”

Oregon Senior Third Baseman Jenna Lilley closed out the postseason at Jane Sanders Stadium with the final out against Kentucky with a throw to Mia Camuso at first base sending Oregon to Oklahoma City. She would like nothing more than to help bring a National Championship home for the Ducks, “Doing it for this community and this fanbase and the Ducks. I think it would be something really special and we can do it.”

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The Oregon Ducks will face Arizona State to open the 2018 Women’s College World Series on Thursday. First pitch is set for 9 am Pacific Time on ESPN.

Quotes obtained firsthand at Oregon Media Availability