Cougars fall to No. 13 Oregon Ducks 9-3

PROVO, Utah — Four sixth inning runs for the No. 13 Oregon Ducks downed BYU softball in a 9-3 loss at Gail Miller Field, Monday.

BYU struggled defensively as the Cougars gave up nine runs on 14 hits and committed four errors. The Oregon pitching staff only gave up three runs on six hits and stranded eight Cougar runners.

After the Cougars scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game, Oregon exploded for six runs in the next two innings to pull away late and hand BYU its seventh loss of the season.

WCC pitcher of the week Chloe Temples started in the circle for the Cougars. In the top of the first inning, she dished out one strikeout and only allowed one hit.

Taylei Williams secured BYU’s first hit with a one-out triple to left-center field. Despite the early triple, Williams was left on base as Oregon pitcher Stevie Hansen retired the next two Cougars ending the BYU scoring threat.

After Temples rung up the first Oregon batter in the second, Paige Sinicki bunted for a single and stole second to move into scoring position. Vallery Wong reached on an error which drove in Sinicki to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead.

Oregon extended its lead in the third, tacking on the second run. The Ducks carded two-straight singles before Jasmine Williams brought Hannah Delgado around to score. after two straight singles

After giving up a leadoff hit in the top of the fourth, Marissa Chavez took a ground ball up the middle and turned the unassisted double play. After a single to left field from Oregon’s Alle Bunker, Delgado flew out to center with Violet Zavodnik making the play to end the inning.

The Ducks got two quick outs in the bottom of the fifth before HannahJo Peterson was walked giving the Cougars their fourth baserunner of the game. After working the count to 3-2, Martha Epenesa singled to shallow center advancing Peterson to second. Williams continued her streak of hot hitting with a two RBI double off the left field wall scoring Peterson and Epenesa to cut the Oregon lead to one.

Zavodnik drew a two-out walk to put runners at first and second. Alyssa Podhurcak turned on and drove a 1-1 pitch to left field, scoring Williams to square the game at three in the bottom of the fifth.

After a leadoff ground-out for Oregon, the Ducks’ Bunker recorded a single to left center followed by a double to center field which moved Bunker to third. Hanna Delgado singled to shortstop scoring Gabby Herrera and moving Bunker to third.

Up next, the Cougars will host a series against Iowa State on Friday and Saturday. All three games will be streaming live on byutv.org and the BYUtv app.

Delgado stole second on the next pitch before KK Humphries reached on an infield single to score Bunker and advance Delgado to third. The Cougars attempted to pick off Humphries on an attempted steal, but the ball was mishandled allowing Delgado to steal home marking the Ducks third run of the inning. Williams singled for Oregon bringing in Humphries to give the Ducks a 7-3 lead going into the bottom of the sixth.

Huntyr Ava singled up the middle to start the inning for the Cougars with Taryn Lennon coming in to pinch run. Chavez reached on a fielder’s choice to move Lennon into scoring position, but she was retired at third when Peterson-Mills grounded into a fielder’s choice.

With runners still at first and second Epenesa hit a hard ground ball up the middle that looked like a hit, but the Oregon shortstop made a diving grab and tagged second to end the bottom of the sixth.

In the top of the seventh, the Ducks tacked on two more runs to extend the lead to 9-3 entering the final half inning.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Zavodnik hit a line drive single to left field giving the Cougars another base runner. She was punched out at second when Podurcak reached on a fielders choice. Macy Simmons grounded into another fielder’s choice to end the game and give the Ducks a 9-3 victory.