Oregon softball sweeps Arizona State, stands in second place in Pac-12 standings
The Oregon softball team continued its strong start to the Pac-12 season, winning its third-straight conference series over the weekend.
The Ducks (19-10, 7-2 Pac-12) swept Arizona State (17-14, 2-7) in their three-game series at Jane Sanders Stadium.
Coupled with Washington’s loss to UCLA Sunday afternoon, the Ducks took over sole possession of second place in the Pac-12 standings.
Here’s how it happened:
Friday — Oregon 3, Arizona State 2
Alyssa Daniell homered twice for Oregon and Ariel Carlson ended the game with a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Ducks allowed two unearned runs in the first inning, but Daniell homered in the fourth and again in the sixth to tie the score at 2-2.
That set the stage for Carlson, who drove a one-out fly ball deep into left field to score Paige Sinicki from third base for the win.
Morgan Scott (7-4) pitcher her third complete game of the year. Besides the two unearned runs, Scott allowed five hits, no walks and struck out five.
Daniell’s two-homer game was the third of her career and the second of the season.
Saturday — Oregon 6, Arizona State 4
The Sun Devils took a 2-0 lead in the first inning for the second straight game, as Jordyn VanHook hit a two-out, two-run homer to right center field.
But the Ducks answered, getting one run back in the bottom of the first on a sac fly by Daniell. They then erupted for four runs in the fourth to pull ahead, a rally that began with a lead-off double by Daniell.
Kedre Luschar had a two-run triple in the inning, and Kai Luschar and KK Humphreys had RBI singles.
After the Sun Devils closed to within a run, 5-4, in the top of the sixth inning, Scott came in and got the final four outs to record her first save of the season.
Sunday — Oregon 5, Arizona State 0
Carlson, Vallery Wong and Emma Kauf homered for the Ducks as they wrapped up the series sweep of the Sun Devils.
Carlson’s two-run homer came in the first inning, as did Wong's, as she belted the first pitch in the game over the fence in left field to put Oregon up 3-0.
Wong added an RBI single in the third to make the score 4-0.
Kauf’s home run was a solo shot that came in the sixth.
Oregon's Stevie Hansen was in cruise control in the circle as she pitched a three-hitter over six innings with two strikeouts and two walks. Scott pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to preserve the victory.
What’s next for Oregon?
The Ducks head to southern California this week for a series against UCLA Friday-Sunday. But first they’ll play at Cal-State Fullerton at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
All three games against the No. 14 Bruins (18-8, 4-2) will be on the Pac-12 Networks. They’ll play at 7 p.m. Friday, 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday.
Follow Chris Hansen on X @chansen_RG or email at chansen@registerguard.com. For more sports coverage, visit registerguard.com.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Oregon softball sweeps ASU, stands in second place in Pac-12 standings
