Oregon softball rallies for five late runs to top Gophers, 5-4

Oregon clinched a series victory in Minnesota, rallying for five runs in the last two innings to best the Gophers, 5-4 Saturday afternoon.

The win brings the Ducks to 37-4 on the year, tied for first place with UCLA in the Big Ten at 11-1. They host the Bruins in a three-game series next weekend at Jane Sanders Stadium.

Down 2-0 in the sixth, the Ducks scored two runs to tie the game. Pinch hitter Ayanna Shaw led off with a double, then Emma Cox drove her home, hammering an RBI double to left. Kai Luschar singled to right for the tie.

Pitching in relief of starter Eliise Sokolsky, Lyndsey Grein pitched a scoreless sixth to bring the Ducks back up to bat.

In the top of the seventh Rylee McCoy stood in there, hit by a pitch to get the leadoff runner on base. Presley Lawton pinch-ran for her, sprinting to third on a double by Kedre Luschar. Katie Flannery gave the Ducks the lead with a bunt single.

Speed got the Ducks another run. Flannery stole second, pressuring the Gopher catcher into a wild throw. That plated Luschar and got Flannery to third. A sacrifice fly by Cox made it 5-2 Ducks.

With a three-run lead the team endured some drama in the bottom of the 7th. Minnesota got to Grein for two walks, a double and a single, but Oregon got out of the inning with runners on first and third when the reliable Kaylynn Jones collected a ground ball for the final out.

Jones went two for two at the plate as well, ripping a pair of triples. Grein (21-1) got the win in relief.

With a month to go in the regular season the Ducks have shown they're resilient and can win in a variety of ways. Saturday they prevailed in a nail-biter; Friday they beat the Gophers with a 13-0 offensive barrage. They go for another series sweep Sunday morning at 10 a.m. PDT, available on Big Ten+ or KWVA radio.

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