Husky Softball Weekly Roundup: A Terrible Ducking Weekend
When the Huskies suffered their first wobble of the season over a sub-par Mary Nutter Classic early in the year, they rebounded with 20 straight wins. Coming off a rough weekend in Northern California two weeks ago, they started another winning streak against Minnesota and had the chance to continue it against their arch rival. Washington’s mid-April trip to Eugene was always going to be a defining stretch.
The Huskies entered the rivalry series against No. 18 Oregon still unbeaten in Big Ten play. Instead, the weekend turned into a reality check.
Oregon swept all three games from April 17–19, handing UW its first conference losses of the season and exposing some familiar issues in both the circle and in high-leverage moments. Friday’s opener followed a script that has become frustratingly recognizable when Washington faces top-tier competition. The Huskies hung around, even briefly seized momentum, but could not contain one decisive inning.
Oregon struck first with a two-run homer in the opening frame and added another run in the third to take a 3-0 lead. UW finally broke through in the sixth inning when Giselle Alvarez launched a solo home run, and moments later Melody Acevedo delivered a two-run double to tie the game at 3-3. That rally should have been the turning point.
Instead, it set the stage for the game’s defining sequence. Oregon responded immediately in the bottom half of the sixth, first reclaiming the lead on a bases-loaded walk and then blowing the game open on a grand slam from Emma Cox. In a matter of minutes, a tied game turned into an 8-3 deficit.
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