![Oregon pitcher Jordan Dahl throws during the Ducks' game against Oregon State Friday, April, 26, 2019 at Jane Sanders Stadium. [Andy Nelson/The Register-Guard] - registerguard.comJordan Dail](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/9250aa83efd2fa363609e0afa819a336ef2b5547722f8946a175fe3c9803e5f6.jpg "Oregon pitcher Jordan Dahl throws during the Ducks' game against Oregon State Friday, April, 26, 2019 at Jane Sanders Stadium. [Andy Nelson/The Register-Guard] - registerguard.comJordan Dail")
The Oregon Softball team is off to an impressive start this season and using past experience, along with some newcomers to find success so far in 2021.
Oregon Softball(9-1) is not very far removed from Head Coach Mike White departing the program. He left a program that was on the doorstep of a National Championship but found a new home at Texas. The Ducks saw an opportunity and hired Melyssa Lombardi to be the new coach.
White not only brought a winning program with a name brand in his time here, but he then turned and took a big chunk of his talent with him to Texas.
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This did not deter Lombardi from her mission of success with the Ducks. Now in her third season, it is like Oregon Softball has not missed a beat. The team is 9-1 entering their first weekend of home games at Jane Sanders Stadium. The loss came in a split series with UCLA in what was considered a non-conference game.
One thing I noticed is in the rankings. Oregon enters this week ranked 6th. Right behind them is Texas in 7th. One area where Oregon is finding success is pitching. The Ducks have a big advantage and a luxury in a way in which they can look at any one of five pitchers to start a game.
Brooke Yanez is proving to be the early workhorse this season with a 4-0 record, 1.50 Earned Run Average. She has also struck out 46 opposing batters in just 28 innings facing 101 batters. Four of the five pitchers for the Ducks have held opponents to a batting average under .200.
The Oregon Offense is also finding success early this season to the tune of 79 hits and a batting average of .306 through the first ten games. Mya Felder is leading the team in hitting .450 with a double and two home runs. Senior Haley Cruse has had a hit in 7 of the Ducks 10 games this season. Catcher Terra McGowan in her first full season with Oregon Softball is hitting .281. Felder leads the team in walks with 6.
Oregon opens Jane Sanders Stadium for the 2020 season this weekend hosting Portland State and Boise. All four games will be on the Oregon Sports Network Live Stream. The four-game series opens with Portland State on Saturday at 1:30 pm PT. Oregon will then face Boise State at 4 pm Pacific Time.