Oregon set up for another WCWS run with reloaded lineup

Oregon is coming off its best season under Melyssa Lombardi. The Ducks return a lot of key pieces, including last year’s transfer portal addition Lyndsey Grein and an impact 2024 recruiting class that enters their sophomore seasons.
Lombardi and her staff went straight to work to reload their lineup in hopes of another Women’s College World Series appearance in 2026. Oregon has to replace the production from Paige Sinicki, Kai and Kedre Luschar. They were able to plug those holes with experienced, talented players. Elon Butler (Cal), Addison Amaral (Notre Dame) and Amari Harper (Texas A&M).
Butler and Harper aren’t your typical natural outfielders. Both primarily played in the outfield in 2025 and given Oregon’s need at the position after graduating the Luschar sisters and Dez Patmon, that seems to be their fit. Oregon returns its starting infield aside from Sinicki, but Amaral was Notre Dame’s starting shortstop last season and has played a lot at second base as well.
Butler earned All-American honors in 2024 after hitting 12 doubles, 17 home runs and earning a .760 slugging percentage. She didn’t have those power numbers last season, but had career highs in batting average (.361), walks (38) and stolen bases (16).
The former Cal utility fits the mold of Oregon’s lineup. Does she need to hit 17 home runs for the Ducks to have an explosive offense? No, but if she can collect double-digit home runs, 20-25 total extra-base hits, and steal 15-20 stolen bases, she’ll end up being an excellent addition in Eugene. There is also a chance that Butler serves as the best protection behind the powerful Rylee McCoy in the order.
Amaral isn’t the Gold Glove defender that Sinicki is, and isn’t a lock to be Oregon’s shortstop next season, given the infield flexibility the Ducks have. Regardless, she’ll likely have more power numbers than Sinicki if Amaral’s past holds true.
Sinicki had a breakout year at the plate last season, hitting over .300 (.376) for the first time in her career, and had 28 extra-base hits after only having 24 in the three years prior. Amaral, who has started every game of her career heading into her junior year, has hit 26 doubles and 19 home runs the past two seasons while maintaining a .352 career batting average.
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Amaral typically pulls her home runs, but has good opposite field power, as about half of her extra base-hits go the other way. According to Synergy Softball, Amaral saw a majority of curveballs last season, hitting .405 with a 1.172 OPS against that pitch.

Harper, who started 144 games for Texas A&M, can’t be slotted into an exact position, but spent time in right field, first and second base. The California native was a player who hit for average her first two seasons, and found her power stroke last season. Harper had 11 doubles and eight home runs in 2025 after entering the year with 11 career doubles and one home run.
According to Synergy Softball, Harper didn’t have a ton of hits on pitches over the middle of the plate in her first two seasons. Last year, she crushed mistakes, which translated to more extra-base hits. A huge part of Harper’s sustained success was her improvement against the riseball. Harper had a .143 batting average in 2024. She bumped that up to .370 with a 1.170 OPS.
If Harper puts up similar numbers to last season with the addition of Amaral and Butler as well, Oregon’s offense can certainly set new records in 2026. The Ducks won’t steal as many bases – replacing over 100 swipes from Sinicki and the Luschar sisters seems unrealistic – but the trio of transfers could certainly all hit double-digit home runs for Oregon next season.
For more transfer portal news, stay up to date with the Softball America transfer wire and the Dugout, our discussion board for members.
More from Softball America:
2027 Position Recruiting Rankings
Teagan Kavan’s historic WCWS performance leads Texas to first national championship
Softball America Top 100 Players of the 2025 season