Over the last 10 days, Melyssa Lombardi has started the project of rebuilding the Oregon Ducks, and she is off to a solid start.
On Monday, Lombardi added a bat in to be Sophomore Mya Felder. Felder comes to Eugene from New Mexico State where she was named the 2019 WAC Freshman of the Year. She hits for power and average and will be patrolling an infield corner spot for the next three seasons at Jane Sanders Stadium.
Lombardi has also been busy bolstering the Oregon Softball Pitching Staff. She has added two arms to the rotation to join Jordan Dail. Dail opened last season strong, but it was clear as Pac-12 play began that Oregon had one ace in the rotation and Dail was really the only option. Now, she will have help in the circle.
More from Autzen Zoo
- Oregon football: Ducks and Coach Prime playing it cordial leading up to Saturday
- Oregon Basketball: Non-conference slate features Michigan coming to Eugene
- Oregon football: Ducks find complete game effort in win vs Hawaii
- Oregon Ducks must get run game going against Hawaii
- 8 Pac-12 teams represented in Associated Press Top 25 after Week 2
Samaria Diaz, the WAC Pitcher of the Year along with Left Brooke Yanez, the 2019 Big West Pitcher of the Year.
Diaz will spend her senior year with Ducks. Her junior year saw success finishing with a 16-9 record with a 2.10 ERA and striking out 228 hitters. She threw 177 innings and was tied for 28th nationally in strikeouts last season. She also threw 16 complete games and 8 shutouts.
Brooke Yanez is also joining the Oregon rotation. Yanez is entering her Junior year with Oregon after finishing 2018 with a 25-7 mark. Her ERA ranked fourth in the country at just 1.03 on the year. She was perfect in high school finishing 19-0 with a 0.58 Earned Run Average. She is also likely going to be an Offensive Key when she is in the circle. She bats right-handed and knows how to find the long ball. She has hit five home runs in her collegiate career after hitting 10 in high school.
With the moves, Oregon Softball has filled in some key spots that were missing last season. Add to that a talented Freshman class and Oregon may be a step closer to returning to an elite team that fans have been accustomed to over the last few seasons.