It took a while for Oregon’s offense to get in sync, but once it did the Ducks were able to cruise to a run-rule win over Montana.
Kai Luschar went 3 for 4 with two runs scored and eight Ducks had hits as No. 18 Oregon beat Montana 9-1 in six innings Monday afternoon at Jane Sanders Stadium.
Oregon (23-11) scored four of their runs in the sixth, thanks to five hits and two hit batters.
“You could see us get a little hot,” Oregon coach Melyssa Lombardi said. “We scored a couple of runs early and then got a little silent and then from there you could see us — I think hitting is infectious. I think anything you do it’s infectious.”
Alyssa Daniell drew a two-out walk to start an Oregon rally in the first. Daniell later scored on a single by KK Humphreys, who scored on a bases-loaded walk to Ariel Carlson.
Hanna Delgado hit a one-out single, stole second and scored on an error in the second. Then the Ducks went hitless until a two-out rally in the fifth against a Montana team that lost its first 20 games of the season.
“I thought (in the) middle innings we were handcuffing ourself and we weren’t on time for pitches that we wanted to hit,” Lombardi said. “From there, I thought we started to make adjustments and get on time and when you saw that we started to barrel up balls and hit balls hard.”
Luschar hit a chop single up the middle, Ariel Carlson doubled to left-center and Tehya Bird hit a two-run single to make it 5-0. It was the first multi-RBI game since March 4 against Loyola Marymount for Bird, who had been 6 for 36 since Pac-12 play began.
“I’ve been in a slump; I’ve been struggling to pull through for my teammates,” Bird said. “It was nice to be able to pull through for them today and let them know that they can still trust me int he lineup and that I’m going to be competing in there every single time I get up to bat.”
Montana’s Allie Brock (3-10), a junior from La Grande, allowed four earned run on six hits, three walks and a hit batter over 4 2/3 innings.
Kendall Curtis hit a solo home run to left with one out in the sixth to end the Ducks’ shutout. It was one of just three hits on the day for Montana (7-26).
Stevie Hansen (14-4) allowed a run on three hits and two walks and struck out six over six innings. The sophomore surpassed her win total from last season with the win.
The Ducks finally broke the game open in the sixth, when Allee Bunker doubled to open the frame and Karissa Ornelas followed with a two-run home run to center. Katelyn Howard doubled and Luschar beat out a single to third, then the Ducks scored on a double steal.
“I think (speed is) a part of our game,” Luschar said. “It puts a lot of pressure on the defense. Our speed, there can be a routine play and people make mistakes and they could have an opportunity to get us out but there’s too much pressure.”
Delgado ended it with a walk-off single off the pitcher’s glove.
Oregon hosts a two-game series with Lindenwood at 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday.