Oregon Softball Ducks Advance to Women’s College World Series After Thrilling Walk-Off Win

Oregon softball’s long-awaited return to the Women’s College World Series opened with drama and disappointment as the No. 16 Ducks fell 4-2 to No. 9 UCLA on a two-out, two-run walk-off homer in the seventh inning at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. Last-Second Heartbreak in Oklahoma City • Starter Lyndsey Grein (29-3) held the Bruins to two runs through six, and Oregon briefly tied the game in the top of the seventh when Paige Sinicki raced home on an obstruction overturn at the plate. • UCLA answered moments later: reserve outfielder Jessica Clements drove a 1-0 pitch over the left-field wall, ending the opener and dropping Oregon to 53-9. • Kaitlyn Terry limited the Ducks’ offense to three hits, fanning seven. How the Ducks Got Here • Regional rally: Oregon erased an early setback to beat Stanford twice on May 18 and clinch the Eugene Regional at Jane Sanders Stadium. • Super-regional surge: Back home, the Ducks edged Liberty 3-2 and then exploded for a 13-1 run-rule win to capture the Eugene Super Regional and punch their first WCWS ticket since 2018. • Season snapshot: Under head coach Melyssa Lombardi, Oregon won the inaugural Big Ten softball title and owns series wins this spring over both UCLA and Ole Miss. What’s Next: Win or Go Home vs. Ole Miss • Opponent: Ole Miss Rebels (eliminated 1-0 by Texas Tech) • First pitch: Friday, May 30, 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT • TV/stream: ESPN and the ESPN app; Fubo offers a free trial for cord-cutters. • Stakes: The loser heads home; the winner advances to play Saturday in another elimination matchup. Players to Watch 1. Kaylynn Jones, 2B — spark plug leadoff hitter batting .411 with 31 steals. 2. Taya Bird, C/1B — team-high 18 homers; 1.197 OPS. 3. Lyndsey Grein, RHP — freshman ace owns 283 Ks and a 2.12 ERA. 4. Paige Sinicki, SS — elite defender who doubled to ignite the seventh-inning rally vs. UCLA. 5. Kedre Luschar, CF — robbed a home run and delivered the Ducks’ first RBI in the opener. Key Numbers • 3 walk-off defeats all year; Oregon is 11-3 in one-run games. • 0 errors committed in the WCWS opener despite rain delays and two lighting failures. • 37-2 when scoring first; Friday’s priority is an early lead against Ole Miss ace Grace Messina (1.69 ERA). Why Oregon Isn’t Done Yet The Ducks carry one of the nation’s deepest pitching staffs—Grein, Stevie Hansen and Morgan Scott—and own the fourth-best scoring margin (+3.4 runs/game) among WCWS teams. Their two regular-season meetings with Ole Miss were decided by a combined three runs, both Duck victories, giving Lombardi’s club confidence in a rebound. How to Follow • Live stats: NCAA.com scoreboard • Radio: KWVA-FM 88.1 in Eugene • Social: @OregonSB on X for in-game updates and post-game pressers. Bottom Line A single swing stunned Oregon softball on Day 1, but the Ducks’ postseason path has featured comeback after comeback. Beat Ole Miss on Friday night, and the green-and-yellow faithful will still be quacking deep into June.