Softball wins outright Big Ten title with Sunday comeback
On Senior Day in the last game of the regular season, Oregon erupted for five runs in the bottom of the third on their way to a come-from-behind 7-6 victory over Michigan State in Jane Sanders Stadium.
The Ducks loaded the bases with a leadoff walk by Kai Luschar, a double by Paige Sinicki, a walk by Rylee McCoy.
Kedre Luschar rapped a two-run single, then Stefini Ma'ake followed with a two-run homer to make it 5-3 Ducks.
Emma Cox's fifth inning home run made it 6-4. In the sixth Kedre Luschar tripled to score Sinicki for a three-run lead.
Michigan rallied in their last at bat with a pair of solo homers to close within a run, but Elise Sokolsky ended the threat with a groundout to third.
Neither Oregon pitcher had their best stuff, so the Ducks had to outslug the visitors. Sokolsky got the win in relief to reach 15-2.
Outright Big Ten Champions with a 47-6 overall record, their season continues with the Big Ten Tournament this weekend. Ranked No. 3 in the nation, the Ducks have a chance to host an NCAA regional. A strong B1G showing would seal it.
Jared Curtis announces today
Top 2026 quarterback prospect Jared Curtis announces today at 2:30 PDT between Oregon and Georgia.
As of yesterday his final decision was not made. The Curtis camp recorded two commitment videos, one for each school. His agent Peter Webb told Jeff Sentell of "DawgNation:"
“He’s a kid who loves ball. He loves his family and just wants to go to a school that’s going to give him the opportunity to be a great teammate, get a great education, and reach his dreams of playing at the highest level, and I think that’s been lost in the NIL world.”
The decision isn't about NIL, Webb says.
“It’s pretty simple. If Jared was chasing the best compensation package, this may have been over a long time ago. These schools may not have even been in the finals. His interest in Georgia and Oregon – and really the difficulty in this decision – has been motivated by the relationships he’s developed during the recruiting process and the unique opportunities both programs provide. We won’t even know what this complete financial framework looks like until after he commits to a university.”
In his "Sunday Morning Sidewalk" column, Scott Reed of Duck Sports Authority wrote that the decision is very, very close:
What I know for sure is that Curtis has two videos made for his ceremony on Monday. Will he use them both as a part of his commitment? That seems possible. I also know that he has not yet told either staff of his decision. It will be a surprise for one team sometime on Monday. I am leaning Georgia right now, but who knows how the next 24 or so hours play out.