Oregon softball squeaks past Maryland in extras to take 13th-straight Big Ten series

The Ducks rallied late to earn a hard-fought 4-3 win in 8 innings and clinch another conference series victory.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 10:50pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a softball game broken down into fragmented, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in a vibrant color palette, conveying the dynamic energy and competitive spirit of the sport.Oregon's gritty extra-inning victory over Maryland highlights the Ducks' determination to defend their Big Ten softball crown.College Park Today

The No. 17 Oregon Ducks softball team edged the Maryland Terrapins 4-3 in 8 innings on Saturday to clinch their 13th consecutive Big Ten series victory. After falling behind early, Oregon rallied with three runs in the 4th inning to take the lead, but Maryland tied it in the bottom half. Lyndsey Grein came on in relief and shut down the Terrapins' bats, allowing the Ducks to push across the winning run in the 8th inning on a sacrifice fly. The win keeps Oregon (31-9, 12-2) in the hunt for the Big Ten title as they prepare to face conference rivals Washington and UCLA in the coming weeks.

Why it matters

Oregon's ability to grind out tough conference wins on the road demonstrates the team's resilience and championship pedigree. The Ducks' 13-game Big Ten series winning streak is an impressive feat that shows their consistency and ability to win close games, which will serve them well as they pursue a repeat conference title and a deep postseason run.

The details

After Maryland jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, Oregon rallied with three runs in the 4th inning to take a 3-1 advantage. But the Terrapins tied it up in the bottom of the 4th. The game remained knotted at 3-3 until the 8th inning, when Oregon's Stefini Ma'ake led off with a single and came around to score the winning run on a sacrifice fly by Kaylynn Jones. Lyndsey Grein was dominant in relief, pitching 4 no-hit innings with 7 strikeouts to earn the win and improve to 20-5 on the season.

  • Oregon and Maryland played the second game of their 3-game series on Saturday, April 11, 2026.
  • The game went into extra innings, with Oregon scoring the winning run in the top of the 8th inning.

The players

Lyndsey Grein

The Oregon pitcher came on in relief and shut down Maryland's bats, pitching 4 no-hit innings with 7 strikeouts to earn the win and improve to 20-5 on the season.

Stefini Ma'ake

The Oregon designated hitter went 3-for-3 at the plate, driving in a run and scoring the game-winning run in the 8th inning.

Kaylynn Jones

The Oregon outfielder hit the game-winning sacrifice fly in the 8th inning to score Ma'ake and give the Ducks the 4-3 victory.

Melyssa Lombardi

The Oregon head coach guided her team to their 13th straight Big Ten series victory.

Emma Cox

The Oregon player had a key hit to lead off the 2nd inning and also made a diving defensive play to erase a Maryland baserunner.

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What they’re saying

“These guys keep showing that they know how to go deep into a game and find ways to win. I love their commitment and just how they stayed together and pulled the win out.”

— Melyssa Lombardi, Head Coach, Oregon Ducks

“It was definitely a team effort. Found a way to get the job done. Emma [Cox] did a great job helping me behind the plate, and Coach called a great game, so I'm just super excited to celebrate with them.”

— Lyndsey Grein, Pitcher, Oregon Ducks

“To come back and put three on the board, to watch those guys do it with two outs, is pretty impressive.”

— Melyssa Lombardi, Head Coach, Oregon Ducks

“We've shown a bunch that we're able to come back. In the moment, we weren't worried about it. We knew we were gonna win, we just didn't know how and what it was gonna look like, so to get that win it's great for us.”

— Flannery, Infielder, Oregon Ducks

“Game 3, there's nothing left to hide. Everybody's seen everything. To me, it's about the grit and the determination, and the pressure that one puts on the other to get it.”

— Melyssa Lombardi, Head Coach, Oregon Ducks

What’s next

The Ducks will look to complete the series sweep on Sunday morning, with the game being moved to an 8 AM start. After that, Oregon will return home to host a key 3-game series against conference rival Washington next weekend.

The takeaway

Oregon's ability to grind out tough conference road wins, even when trailing, demonstrates the team's championship pedigree and resilience. Their 13-game Big Ten series winning streak is an impressive feat that shows the Ducks' consistency and ability to win close games, which will serve them well as they pursue a repeat conference title and a deep postseason run.