Oregon Falls to Texas in Wild Austin Regional

The Ducks’ season comes to an end in a heartbreaking loss to Texas in the Austin Regional.

After falling to Texas State to open the NCAA Tournament on Friday, the Oregon softball team rallied through the weekend and to a winner-take-all match with Texas, but the Ducks fell just short of reaching the Super Regionals.

The Ducks’ NCAA Tournament run began with a controversial selection show that saw Oregon as the No. 2 seed in the Austin Regional and missing out on hosting a regional of their own. No matter the opponent or the location, the Ducks were ready to fight to make it to the Super Regionals for the first time since 2018.

“With postseason, you hear your name called and from there, whether you’re hosting or not hosting, you get ready and prepare,” head coach Melyssa Lombardi said after the selection show. “It’s all about the postseason.”

Friday, May 21 - Texas State (L, 5-1)

The Ducks began their hunt for the Super Regionals with a matchup against the No. 3 seed Texas State Bobcats. Ducks ace Brooke Yanez got the start, but she fell into a hole early as Bobcats first baseman Hailey MacKay hit a two-run home run in the second inning, and shortstop Tara Oltmann brought in another run on an RBI double in the third to give the Bobcats a 3-0 lead.

Ducks second baseman Allee Bunker delivered the lone run for her team, smacking a solo homer to left field in the third, but the Ducks left two runners in scoring position. This was the biggest struggle for Oregon on the day, as they finished with 11 runners left on base.

Texas State scored two more runs to put the dagger in the Ducks’ hearts, making it 5-1. Yanez allowed five earned runs, three more than in her previous six appearances combined.

With the loss, the Ducks had to win four games in two days to avoid elimination. They fell into the elimination bracket, beginning with a matchup against Saint Francis (PA) on Saturday.

Saturday, May 22 - Saint Francis (W, 7-0)

The Oregon offense jumped ahead early thanks to a two-run single by Rachel Cid in the first inning, and it didn’t stop there. Maddie Hopper drove in another run in the second, and Bunker doubled to score Haley Cruse in the fifth to take a 4-0 lead.

Oregon piled it on in the seventh with three runs. In total, six different Ducks drove in at least one run.

The story of the game was the Oregon pitching. Samaria Diaz got the start and delivered one of her best performances of the season with 5.2 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits and striking out 5 batters. Makenna Kliethermes relieved Diaz in the sixth and retired all four batters she faced to seal the win.

Saturday, May 22 - Texas State (W, 2-0)

Yanez returned to the circle for her second start of the regional and third appearance. She needed a big bounce back performance after allowing five runs in Friday’s start against Texas State, and she got it.

She matched an Oregon NCAA Tournament record with 14 strikeouts, allowing just 4 hits in a shutout to keep the Ducks’ season alive. It was the tenth time Yanez struck out at least ten batters, and it was the second-most strikeouts she recorded in a game this season (15 on April 1 against Oregon State).

Yanez didn’t need much run support — Deijah Pangilinan singled to drive in the first run of the game in the second inning, and Hanna Delgado scored on a throwing error by Texas State on the next at bat.

The Ducks swept the double-header to advance to face regional host Texas on Sunday, needing two victories over the No. 12 overall seed to advance to the Super Regionals.

Sunday, May 23 - Texas (Game 1, W, 1-0 in 8 innings)

After a five-hour rain delay prior to the first game, Oregon and Texas battled in one of the most epic games of the regional round — a matchup that pitted Texas head coach Mike White against his former team.

Alyssa Brito led off the second inning with a laser over the left field wall to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead. Bunker extended the lead with an RBI single to right field.

Yanez started once again for Oregon, giving up just three hits and no runs in the first four innings. The Longhorns cut into the lead in the fifth with an RBI double by Janae Jefferson to make it 2-1.

Oregon had a chance to break the game open in the fifth and the sixth innings, leaving two runners on base in each of the frames. Coach White made a bold move in the top of the seventh inning, bringing Jordyn Whitaker off the bench to pinch hit as the Longhorns were one out away from victory.

Whitaker swung at the first pitch and singled through the left side, keeping the Horns' hopes of advancing to the Super Regionals alive. White brought in another pinch-hitter, this time it was freshman Courtney Day.

Down to their final strike, Day delivered a shot into deep center that drove Oregon centerfielder Deijah Pangilinan back to the wall. Pangilinan jumped and had the ball bounce out of her glove and onto the warning track, allowing Whitaker to score the game-tying run.

The visiting Ducks were the official home team for the first game, and they had an opportunity to walk off in the seventh and survive to face the Horns one more time. Alyssa Brito walked and Deijah Pangilinan reached on a fielder’s choice with one out, but the Ducks couldn’t bring a runner home.

Brooke Yanez came back out for her eighth inning of work. She allowed a leadoff walk to advance to third, but she shut the door with a two-out strikeout to keep the score locked at 2 a piece. 

Haley Cruse led off the bottom of the eighth with a double down the right field line, sprinting to second as right fielder Kaitlyn Washington slowly fielded the ball. Allee Bunker walked to bring up Terra McGowan with two runners on and nobody out.

McGowan cracked a fly ball over the head of Washington in right to bring home Cruse, who smiled as she rounded third and pumped her fist as she touched home. The Ducks survived to face Texas in a late-night winner-take-all game with a spot in the Super Regionals on the line.

Sunday, May 23 - Texas (Game 2, L, 0-1)

Both offenses were clearly fatigued after the rain delay and the extra-innings thriller, combining for just three hits in the first three innings. Samaria Diaz returned to the circle and dominated the Texas offense in the first three innings, striking out six batters and allowing just two hits.

Jordyn Whitaker came up clutch for the Longhorns as a pinch-hitter once again, driving in an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead and chasing Diaz from the game.

Oregon had a golden opportunity to tie or take the lead in the seventh inning. Rachel Cid doubled to lead off the inning, and Hanna Delgado moved her to third with a single on an 0-2 pitch.

With runners on the corners and nobody out, Alyssa Brito struck out, and Ariel Carlson hit a soft grounder to third to advance Delgado to second. The Ducks' hopes of advancing to the Super Regionals came down to senior pinch-hitter Maddie Hopper, who grounded out to third to cap off the 2021 season.

Oregon lost the first game of the regional and was a base hit and three outs away from advancing to the Super Regionals. Coach Lombardi described the toughness of her team throughout the season.

“I’m so proud of this team,” she said. “Just to watch them transform from the beginning of the year to now, I can’t say enough. My heart hurts because they were right there, and I want them to get what they want, but we just fell short.”

The Ducks finished the season 40-17, earning 40 wins for the 14th time in program history and the first time since winning 53 in 2018. The loss marks the end of five Oregon seniors’ careers — Haley Cruse, Samaria Diaz, Shaye Bowden, Maddie Hopper, and Annalisa Williamson.

Three of the seniors posted their goodbyes to the program following the heartbreaking loss.

And that’s a wrap on my Oregon softball career. Beyond proud of everything this team has accomplished! I’m leaving this program with a full heart and memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you, @OregonSB and go ducks forever!!! 💚

— Haley Cruse Mitchell (@haley_crusee) May 24, 2021

The game of softball has been my strongest love and biggest heartbreak. Thankful for this journey I’ve been on and so many lessons learned. Love my team so much and grateful for this ride! Til the wheels fall off. 💚 #goducks

— Samariaaa✨ (@RiaaRiaaa_) May 24, 2021

Oregon has as bright a future as any program in the country. The Ducks are slated to return much of their production and welcome young new talent to Eugene next season.

The Pac-12 will continue to be one of the toughest conferences in all of college softball, but expect Oregon to be in the thick of things in 2022.

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