The Oregon Ducks softball team won a close game against Penn State, 6-5, on March 15 at Jane Sanders Stadium, completing a sweep in their first Big Ten series of the season. Emma Cox hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning to bring home Elon Butler for the winning run.
This victory is significant as it demonstrates Oregon’s ability to come from behind and secure wins under pressure. The Ducks improved their record to 21-7 overall and 3-0 in conference play, while Penn State fell to 19-9 and remains winless in Big Ten competition.
Oregon took an early lead but faced challenges after Penn State’s Brooke Klosowicz hit a grand slam in the fifth inning, putting the Nittany Lions ahead. The Ducks responded with key hits from Taryn Ho and Stefini Ma’ake, regaining the lead before Penn State tied it again in the seventh. Elise Sokolsky pitched both early innings and returned late to secure her fourth win of the season.
Cox described her game-winning moment by saying, “Those are the really fun moments that you always dream of when you’re a little girl… I was going to make sure with everything in my power that offense was going to go my way in those last two at-bats.” Head coach Melyssa Lombardi said, “I think you’re going to always have different ways to win, and that’s what I pride ourselves in, is that we know how to win in different ways… So a lot of growth today, a lot of growing moments, and it’s a part of the season. And when we grow, it makes us better.”
The teams combined for seven errors during the game. Amari Harper extended her hitting streak to ten games. Sunday also marked Oregon’s Strike Out Cancer game.
Looking ahead, Oregon will begin a seven-game road trip with upcoming games against Purdue (March 20-22), Indiana (March 23), and Northwestern (March 26-28).
