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Oregon Softball Star Delivers Historic Performance as Ducks Stun Iowa in Extra-Inning Thriller

Maren Angus-Coombs|
Oregon utility player Elon Butler hit for the cycle against Iowa on Saturday, April 4.
Oregon utility player Elon Butler hit for the cycle against Iowa on Saturday, April 4. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 16th-ranked Oregon Ducks used a historic performance from Elon Butler, a season-high attendance, extra innings, and a walk-off sacrifice fly to secure a come-from-behind win over Iowa on Saturday.

Oregon used a four-run seventh to send the game into extras and secured a 14-13 victory to win the series.

Butler scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth to cap a historic performance. She was 6-for-6, hitting for the first cycle in Oregon program history. She also scored four runs and drove in another four.

Butler, who spent her first three seasons at Cal before transferring to Oregon, singled in the first, tripled in the second, homered in the fourth, and doubled in the seventh for her cycle. Her single in the eighth sparked a rally that led to Emma Cox's walk-off sacrifice fly in front of 2,312 fans.

Cox's walk-off was Oregon's program single-season record 26th sacrifice fly of the spring.

Butler also set a single-game record with six hits.

The leadoff hitter for the Ducks is now hitting .448 on the season with 12 home runs and 48 RBIs across 37 games.

Butler hasn't been hitting in the top spot of the lineup all season as head coach Melyssa Lombardi moved her there ahead of the series opener against Iowa on Friday.

"I definitely settled in and got a little bit more comfortable, for sure," Butler said. "But nothing changes with my mentality. I still say aggressive. I still try to hit all the balls over the plate and just be myself when I'm up there, and just be athletic and keep things really simple."

How the Comeback Happened

Oregon scored in all eight inning of the game, but trailed 13-9 heading into the final frame.

Butler led off the seventh with a double, and Kaylynn Jones walked to two on for Amari Harper, who singled to center and scored Butler.

Jones scored and Harper moved to third on a single up the middle from Cox to pull Oregon within two.

Taryn Ho cut the deficit to 13-12 with an RBI groundout to third base and then Stefini Ma'ake tied the contest at 13 all with a single to left.

Iowa went down in order in the top of the eighth, and a one-out single put Butler on the bases. Jones singled, moving Butler into scoring position and then both runners advanced on a wild pitch.

Harper walked to load the bases and the Cox sent a ball to right field that was deep enough to score Butler.

"There's gonna be times you're gonna have games like this. You're gonna have a 1-0 game and it's gonna be a pitcher's duel, and then you're gonna have a 14-13, game and it's gonna be a hitter's duel. It was a hitter's duel today, and we found a way to get just one more run."

Maddie Milhorn got the start for Oregon and allowed 10 earned runs on eight hits and three walks across 4.2 innings. She struck out four before Rowan Thompson escaped the fifth after giving up one earned run on two hits.

Lynsey Grein was awarded the win, pitching the final 3.0 innings. She struck out three and allowed two earned runs on two hits.

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 for various outlets including Softball America, ESPNW and Hurrdat Sports. She is currently the managing editor of Softball On SI and also serves as an analyst for Nebraska softball games on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.

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