Oregon softball wins UCLA series, earns No. 2 seed in Big Ten tourney

The Oregon softball team was run-ruled by UCLA in the regular-season finale May 3, but the weekend was hardly a loss for the Ducks.

No. 11 Oregon took two of the three games against No. 5 UCLA in Los Angeles to win the series and secure the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament that will take place Wednesday through Saturday at Maryland Softball Stadium in College Park.

The Ducks (40-11, 20-4 Big Ten) won 8-2 on Friday and 13-11 Saturday to ensure their 16th straight series win in conference play over the last two seasons. They lost 11-3 in five innings Sunday afternoon.

“It’s hard to set aside today, but I like where we are at as a team heading into the Big Ten Tournament,” coach Melyssa Lombardi told GoDucks.com. “I like what were doing offensively. We’re scoring a lot of runs, and I like our depth and our approach on the mound. I think this team is in a really good place.”

Despite the loss in the final game, it was an impressive showing for Oregon. One season after winning the conference title, the Ducks finished in a tie for second place with the Bruins (45-7, 20-4) but bumped UCLA to the No. 3 seed in the tournament with the series win.

Nebraska (43-6, 23-1) won the regular-season title, its first in program history.

Oregon opened the series against UCLA with its win Friday night as it broke a 2-2 tie with six runs in the top of the seventh inning.

Stefini Ma’ake hit two home runs and Elon Butler and Rylee McCoy also homered for the Ducks.

Pitcher Elise Sokolsky (8-2) allowed two runs on seven hits. She is 4-0 since returning from injury April 18.

Oregon's 13 runs in Saturday's victory were the most it has ever scored against UCLA.

Ma’ake went 4 for 5 and drove in three runs for Oregon, and Amari Harper was 3 for 4 with a home run. Katie Flannery also homered and Addison Amaral hit a pinch-hit double with the bases loaded that scored three runs to bring the Ducks back from a 6-3 deficit in the third inning.

The Ducks played from behind for all of Sunday's game, as they fell behind 8-0 after two innings. Oregon scored three in the third but UCLA got back to an eight-run advantage with a three-run fourth.

Elon Butler moves to the top of the Oregon softball record book

The senior outfielder went 2 for 3 Sunday to break the program's single-season record for total bases.

Butler's first-inning single was her 139th total base of the season, breaking the previous record of 138 set by Jenn Salling in 2007. By the end of the game, Butler had increased her total to 140.