After a late-night win over Idaho State on Friday Night, the Oregon Ducks faced off against Mississippi State in the game everyone expected when the Regional was set. The hope for the Ducks was that the ace of the rotation, Lyndsey Grein, would be able to return after missing the opener with an eye infection, but it was another day for the Ducks without Grein.
Elise Sokolsky struggled to settle in, allowing a lead-off walk, and when she finally found the strike zone, Mississippi State’s Gretta Grassel set the tone with a 2-run blast to centerfield. After the 1st inning, put the pressure on the Ducks, Mississippi State continued to apply pressure on offense.
The 3rd inning saw the Bulldogs tack on another run with a pair of doubles, which ended Sokolsky’s day. Maddie Milhorn relieved Sokolsky putting out the fire in the 3rd inning, but allowed another run to score in the 4th after a leadoff single, and some small ball by the Bulldogs…