Oregon Softball has Unfinished Business at Fayetteville Regional

Jordan Ingram Editorials

For the second straight year, the No. 18 Oregon Ducks softball team will kick off the postseason at Bogle Park in Arkansas. The Ducks (35-15) enter the regional as the No. 2 seed, playing Notre Dame at 2 p.m. on Friday in the opening game of the Fayetteville Regional on ESPN2. Mr. FishDuck was learning some important gaming information at …

Oregon softball wins five straight at Cartier/Campbell Classic

Jordan Ingram Uncategorized

The No. 24 Oregon Ducks softball team unleashed a scoring downpour this weekend in sunny San Diego, racking up 42 runs in a five-game sweep at the 32nd Cartier/Campbell Classic at SDSU Softball Stadium. The Ducks (8-2) closed out back-to-back doubleheader wins on Friday and Saturday with a 12-5 rout of UC Riverside on Sunday morning to give Oregon its …

Oregon Softball: Recent Player Departures Cause for Concern?

Jordan Ingram Editorials

Nothing hurts more than losing in the postseason, especially when you are eliminated by the school’s former coach. But as the Oregon Ducks softball team accepts the season’s finality, Ducks head coach Melyssa Lombardi will also have to reckon with the departure of three players to the transfer portal. Infielders Alyssa Brito, Mya Felder and Jazzy Contreras all announced their …

Is Oregon Softball Ready for Matchup Against White’s Longhorns?

Jordan Ingram Editorials

It’s always awkward running into an ex-girlfriend after breaking up. I’d imagine the same goes for players and coaches. And for the Oregon Ducks (37-15, 14-10 Pac-12) softball team, the NCAA Regional tournament in Austin, Texas, offers the top-ranked squad an opportunity to square off against former Ducks: Texas Longhorns head coach Mike White and players Shannon Rhodes, Mary Iakopo …

Oregon Softball Battle Bruins in Marquee Series Matchup

Jordan Ingram Editorials

The battle for first place in the Pac-12 Conference and national polls was raging this weekend in a four-game series between softball powerhouses No. 3 Oregon Ducks and No. 2 UCLA Bruins in front of the largest crowds of the year at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene. Yes, more than 600 lucky fans were in the stands to cheer on …

Oregon Ducks: Come for the Hoops, Stay for the Softball

Jordan Ingram Editorials

How often do you get to watch both the Oregon Ducks Men’s and Women’s basketball teams play in their respective Sweet Sixteen matchups in the NCAA Tournament on a Sunday afternoon? Win or lose, it’s a GREAT day to be a fan of Our Beloved Ducks. For the Men’s team, the No. 7 seed Ducks (21-6) are facing No. 6 …

Oregon’s Lombardi Pitching a Championship Strategy

Jordan Ingram Editorials

In the post-Mike White era of Oregon Ducks softball, the program under Oregon head coach Melyssa Lombardi continued its astonishing upward trend in the virus-shortened 2020 season. Lombardi appears laser-focused on turning around a program following the departure of White, one of the most successful softball coaches at Oregon. The Ducks struggled in Lombardi’s first season, finishing with a 22-30 …

Was Oregon Softball Too Much Fun?

Mike Merrell Editorials

I don’t know. I wasn’t there. But I have to wonder. Let’s start with some facts. Under Mike White, Oregon Softball never won a national championship. His teams consistently got to the Women’s College World Series, where they consistently lost games they were favored to win. Last year, they beat Washington in its own kennel three games in a row, and …

The Death of a Program? Softball Meltdown at Oregon …

Bruce Editorials

The Mike White situation, as recently described in the R-G, immediately brought to mind a similar situation with the women’s basketball program, when Jody Runge was dumped after the 2000-2001 season. In both cases, there were communication breakdowns between the athletic directors (Bill Moos, Rob Mullens) and the coaches, with the fallout resulting in many unhappy U of O fans. Prior …

Mrs. Duck’s Lovely Week

Mike Merrell Editorials

Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out In a football season that has certainly had its downs, the Oregon Ducks have emerged as one of the best — if not the best — teams in the conference. A national championship is out of the picture, but a return to the Rose Bowl, while highly unlikely, remains at least a mathematical possibility. That’s something nobody …

Oregon Softball: Ducks Dream Big with New Zealand Legend

Jordan Ingram FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

After clinching its third consecutive Pac-12 Championship over the weekend, the No. 1 Oregon Ducks softball team (46-6) under New Zealand legend, coach Mike White, will continue its “spring reign” as the No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Ducks will face BYU on Thursday, after a Fresno State vs North Dakota State matchup, in a four-team double-elimination Eugene Regional at Howe Field. This year’s regional appearance marks …

The Dominance of Cheridan Hawkins: Softball’s Madison Bumgarner

Andrew Bet Talent Evaluation

Oregon starting pitcher Cheridan Hawkins must have dominance inscribed in her DNA, as her performances have left opponents baffled. Since game one of the season, Hawkins knew she would be Oregon’s x-factor in returning to the Women’s College World Series. In the UCLA series, Hawkins dealt with adversity for the first time this season as she lost the first game of …