Oregon freshman pitcher Maddie Milhorn played a key role in the Ducks’ 2-1 win over Sacramento State on Saturday night at Jane Sanders Stadium. Milhorn, from Vancouver, Washington, pitched six innings and allowed just one run on two hits, striking out eight batters and walking one. The only run she gave up came on a solo home run in the seventh inning.
“One thing I’ve been working on since the fall is getting my fastball to drop a little bit,” said Milhorn. “So I really just, jammed all the batters inside. And I think that is what helped me be successful, because then when I went out with the curveball they chased it.”
After Sacramento State tied the game in the top of the seventh, Lyndsey Grein came in as relief and retired three straight batters. Oregon secured the win in the bottom half of the inning when Rylee McCoy singled and pinch-runner Presley Lawton scored following an error by Sacramento State’s third baseman Madison Evers-Lyles. Grein was credited with her ninth win of the season.
Earlier in the day, Oregon lost 8-5 to Nevada despite tying the game at five runs apiece in the third inning. Nevada regained control with three runs in the fourth inning and held onto their lead for the remainder of Game 1.
Coach Melyssa Lombardi commented on her expectations for team performance: “What I want to see with our group is just all three cylinders,” said coach Melyssa Lombardi. “You’ll see us hit really well, and then maybe have miscues on defense or not pitch well enough, and vice versa. But what I’d like to see tomorrow in our last nonconference game, is to put all three out there, and for all three to be performing at the same time.”
In Game 1 against Nevada, Amari Hardy was hit by a pitch and later scored after Taryn Ho’s single brought her home. After falling behind 5-1 early, Oregon rallied with four runs including a two-run double by Harper and a home run from McCoy that tied things up before Nevada pulled away again.
Harper noted how quickly returning to play after a loss helped boost team morale: “We were super-excited just to get back out on the field and to get to go again, instead of having a waiting period,” said Harper. “So it was really good to see our energy just get up in those first few innings and stay consistent throughout the entire game. And obviously in the end, we had Maddie’s back, and Maddie had our back the entire time. So, it was a good energy.”
Milhorn finished Game 1 by shutting out Nevada over her final 3⅓ innings before starting against Sacramento State later that evening.
In Game 2 against Sacramento State (18-6), both teams struggled offensively through six innings until Oregon capitalized on defensive errors late in both sixth and seventh innings for their runs.
The Ducks’ nine-game winning streak ended with their earlier loss to Nevada; Elon Butler’s hitting streak also concluded at thirteen games—a career best for her.
Reflecting on how younger players should approach wins or losses during such a long season, Amari Harper stated: “Just realize that it’s one in 56 games that we’re going to play this season. We have so much to learn and so much that they can learn from, so I think it’s really good for them, especially with their next few years. But just knowing how to make those adjustments in game and kind of working with it within that, within practice, or even in game time when we need to.”
Coach Lombardi praised Milhorn’s steady demeanor: “Her composure has been like that since we started recruiting her, so I appreciate that. I thought the way she handled herself in the first game and amount of innings she threw…that would be great just continue on…she did a really good job settling in hitting her spots…started throwing about nine-to-twelve pitches an inning getting quick shut down innings.”
Oregon will conclude its participation at Jane Sanders Classic Sunday afternoon against Nevada.
