Oregon Softball "Version 7" Season Comes to an End

Via Oregon Communications/Rob Moseley

OKLAHOMA CITY — The magical ride for “Version 7” of Oregon softball under head coach Melyssa Lombardi came to an end Sunday, though this year’s team left a legacy that will endure with its fans and with future versions of the Ducks.

An epic postseason filled with triumphant highs concluded Sunday in the Women’s College World Series, and a 4-1 loss to four-time defending national champion Oklahoma. The Ducks finished the season 54-10, tied for the second-most wins in program history, having celebrated a Big Ten championship before unforgettable wins at home in the NCAA Regional and Super Regional rounds.

“We wanted to keep playing, obviously ultimately to win a national championship, but we wanted to keep playing because we did not want Version 7 to end,” Lombardi said. “Today with us and our season being done, to me it’s tears of joy for this group, because I love them so much and I’m so thankful. They have absolutely changed me as a coach. They have my heart, and they will always have my heart. They left a blueprint for our teams to come.”

Sunday’s loss followed a win Friday over Ole Miss to stay alive in the WCWS. That was Oregon’s third walk-off win in this postseason, which brought to a conclusion the careers of a senior class that included the likes of Paige Sinicki, Kai Luschar and Kedre Luschar.

“This whole postseason has been so much fun, because our backs were against the wall and we just trusted each other and had so much belief,” Sinicki said. “And I think that’s something that this program has been able to see, and now they’re going to take it and embrace it. I’m so excited to see (the freshmen) and this class behind them do that in these coming years. I just love them.”

The Ducks were back in Oklahoma City for the first time since 2018, taking multiple next steps in their return to power under Lombardi. Oregon not only earned the right to host the postseason but got back to the Women’s College World Series, and then won Friday’s game after a loss Thursday.

“I think about the summer when I’m sitting here with these seniors and we’re talking about that we wanted something different from this year,” Lombardi said. “And in order to do that, we needed to be uncomfortable and do things in a way that’s going to allow us to be here standing at the Women’s College World Series. And to have those conversations with Kai and Kedre and Paige and know that, in order to do that we have to put ourselves out there — and we did — I just can’t say enough about how much I love this team and Version 7.”

How It Happened: Two days after Lyndsey Grein threw 144 pitches to beat the Rebels, Elise Sokolsky took the ball first for Oregon on Sunday and worked out of a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the first. That allowed the Ducks to take an early lead when senior Dezianna Patmon capped a heroic postseason effort with a solo homer in the second.

Oklahoma tied it with a homer in the bottom of the inning, though Sokolsky limited the damage by stranding two more runners. The Ducks stranded two of their own in the top of the third, one of them Kai Luschar after she singled and stole second, breaking the Big Ten record with her 60th stolen base of this season.

“Personally I’m so grateful to go to the greatest university in the country and play with this team and the teams before,” Luschar said postgame. “There’s been so many amazing memories and so much growth. It’s just been incredible. To be a Duck is one of the greatest things I have ever done.”

Into the game for the bottom of the third came Grein (30-3), two days after her marathon win over Ole Miss. She went the rest of the way Sunday night, allowing three runs while emptying the tank for her team in the circle with another 105 pitches.

“I thought Lyndsey was amazing, and she found the zone all night long,” Lombardi said. “They’re a great hitting team, and they foul pitches off and foul pitches off and they make you work and make you work. What I love for Lyndsey, I watched her in the Ole Miss game start the game, come out, and then come back different than I’ve ever seen her. She’s had an unbelievable year, but to watch her transform into an elite pitcher on the grandest stage ever and see her do that at Ole Miss and then see her do that tonight, I’m so proud of her.”

The Sooners took the lead in the bottom of the third on a two-run homer. The Ducks stranded a runner in the top of the fourth, after the second hit of the game for freshman Kaylynn Jones, who also had a couple of sparkling defensive plays at second base.

“These seniors have created a very high standard for us freshmen,” said Jones, who led the Ducks with a .485 average in the postseason. “(Now it’s about) just holding it not only for ourselves but for them, and showing them that they made a difference and just carrying it on forward.”

Oklahoma added to its lead with a solo homer in the fifth. Sinicki reached on a bunt single and stole second in the sixth but was stranded, and the Ducks were retired in order in the seventh to end it.

Notable: Kai Luschar became just the second Duck to end her career hitting above .400, at .401, after Courtney Ceo (.416, 2011-14). She hit .472 in the postseason with six stolen bases, to become just the 15th player in NCAA history with 60 steals in a season. … Sinicki started the final 193 games of her career consecutively at shortstop. Her stolen base in the sixth was No. 32 of this season and No. 65 in her career, both ranking seventh in UO history. … Sunday’s game was the third straight featuring a new largest crowd ever to watch a softball game, at 12,458 fans. … Sunday’s game was the only one of 43 this year in which Oregon hit a home run but lost.