This weekend, the Oregon State Softball team were swept in a 3-game series against the University of Oregon Ducks in Eugene, dropping them to 31-18 on the season.

The Beavers entered the weekend on a seven-game losing streak, and each of the last six losses leading to this weekend were decided by a single run. Despite the losing streak, the team was still ranked No. 33 overall.

The Ducks started the weekend being ranked No. 19 overall, after being swept by the No. 11 ranked University of Washington Huskies the weekend before.

On Friday, the Ducks started the series out extremely well, shutting out the Beavers, and scoring 5 runs behind junior catcher Vallery Wong’s 2 home-run performance.

Saturday was a stronger showing from the Beavers, as they jumped to an early 2-0 lead. Oregon State sophomore infielder Grace Messmer’s 2-run homer in the second inning scored the first runs of the series for the Beavers. University of Oregon’s junior outfielder Ariel Carlson answered in the fourth inning, hitting a 3-run homer giving the Ducks a 3-2 lead. The Beavers were able to tie the game in the fifth inning with an RBI triple from Oregon State freshman outfielder Eliana Gottlieb. However, the seventh inning ended in heartbreak for the Beavers, as a throwing error handed the Ducks a 4-3 walk-off victory.

Sunday once again ended with an Oregon victory, although the Beavers battled until the last swing. The Ducks opened the scoring with an RBI double from University of Oregon freshman infielder Paige Sinicki. The Beavers responded with two runs of their own in the top of the third inning, but struggled with the bats outside of that inning. The Ducks found a few more runs in the third and fourth innings, taking a 4-2 lead.

Finally in the seventh, the Beavers found themselves still down two runs. With the last at bat of the game, Oregon State junior infielder Frankie Hammoude stepped up to the plate with runners on first and second. She made contact with a low fastball and drove it to deep left field, but it was caught just short of the wall, leaving the Beavers with a tough loss.

The Ducks will hope to take the momentum from the sweep, as they travel to Stanford to close out their season on the road. That series will take place next weekend, from May 6-8.

This series in Eugene marked the last road trip of the season for the Beavers, and they will host the 24-24 Utah Utes in two weeks, on May 12-14, for a final homestand.