Oregon softball talks Women’s College World Series defeat vs. UCLA
Oregon players and coach Melyssa Lombardi talk about the loss to UCLA in the first game of the Women’s College World Series
On May 29, both Oregon and Ole Miss began their respective journeys in the Women’s College World Series with national championship dreams firmly intact.
Just over a day later, one of them will be exiting the tournament, with their season abruptly over.
After low-scoring losses on Thursday, the Ducks and Rebels meet Friday in an elimination game at the WCWS at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
No. 16 national seed Oregon fell in heartbreaking fashion Thursday against current Big Ten and longtime Pac-12 foe UCLA, with the Ducks tying the game in the top of the seventh inning only for the No. 9 seed Bruins to turn around and get a walk-off, two-run home run in the bottom half of the inning for a 4-2 victory.
Ole Miss was dealt a different kind of pain in a 1-0 loss to No. 12 Texas Tech on Thursday, managing only two baserunners and striking out 10 times against Red Raiders ace NiJaree Canady.
Though the loser of the matchup will head home from the double-elimination tournament, the winner will play again Sunday against the loser of Saturday’s game between No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 6 Texas, last year’s WCWS championship series participants.
Follow along here for the live score, updates, highlights, information on how to watch and more from Oregon softball’s game against Ole Miss in the WCWS:
This section will be updated throughout the game
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | F |
| Ole Miss | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Oregon | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | — | — | — |
Unsatisfied with the two runs they had already put on the board, the Ducks add a third before the fifth inning wraps up, with Kaylynn Jones singling up the middle to bring home Elyse Kresho.
It’s a 5-2 lead for Oregon, which is six outs away from eliminating Ole Miss.
Oregon’s offense has come alive in the bottom of the fifth inning, with RBIs from Kedre Luschar and Rylee McCoy giving the Ducks a 4-2 lead.
After McCoy’s double to left center brought home Luschar, Ole Miss turns to its bullpen, bringing in Miali Guachino to relieve Brianna Lopez. Lopez finished the night with six hits, two walks and, for now, four earned runs across four innings. Guachino was quickly replaced, lasting only five pitches over 1/3 of an inning before being taken out in favor of Aliyah Binford.
After a series of near-misses, Ole Miss comes through to tie the game.
Following Oregon’s pitching change, and after she was down on a 0-2 count, Persy Llamas rips a single to right field to bring home Jaden Pone from third base. Llamas has driven in both of the Rebels’ runs tonight.
We’ve got a 2-2 game heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.
With the tying run on third base and with two outs in the top of the fifth inning, Oregon turns to its bullpen, inserting Staci Chambers to replace Lyndsey Grein. Grein gave up two hits, two walks and, for now, one run in 4 2/3 innings. Chambers has a 3.91 ERA this season.
It’s a drama-free bottom half of the fourth inning for Ole Miss, which gets the Oregon batters out in order.
Oregon avoids what could have been a disastrous fourth inning, getting a groundout with two outs and the bases loaded. Ducks maintain a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth.
What a gritty performance from Ole Miss pitcher Brianna Lopez, who was faced with runners on second and third and only one out, but strikes out Dezianna Patmon — who had a two-run single in the first inning — and gets Kaylynn Jones to pop out to end the threat.
The Rebels looked to pick up where they left off in the first inning, capitalizing on some defensive miscues from Oregon to get runners on first and second with no outs. From there, Lair Beautae grounded into a 5-3 double play and with a runner still at second, Aliyah Binford lined out to center field.
Ole Miss ends the second inning in style, with Kai Luschar hitting a ground ball to short with a runner on first. Luschar is one of Oregon’s fastest players, with 59 steals, but Rebels shortstop Angelina DeLeon fires a bullet to first base from her knees to just barely beat out Luschar. To the third inning we go.
After a chaotic first inning, Oregon establishes some sense of order, with pitcher Lyndsey Grein retiring the Ole Miss batters in order.
Oregon’s deficit only lasted for so long. Leadoff batter Kai Luschar reached first base on an error and with runners on second and third with two outs, Dezianna Patmon capitalized, roping a single into left field that brought both runs home.
The Ducks entered the day with the second-most runs of all Division I teams this season and in the first inning, they showed why.
After getting shut out by Texas Tech in its first game in the 2025 Women’s College World Series, it only takes Ole Miss one inning to get on the board.
With a runner on third after some costly defensive mistakes from Oregon — an errant throw to first, a failed opportunity to finish off a run-down and a wild pitch — Persy Llamas rips a two-out, RBI single into left field to bring home the run and give the Rebels a 1-0 lead.
Of historical note: it’s Ole Miss’ first-ever run in the WCWS.
Here’s a look at the lineup Oregon will be rolling out Friday against Ole Miss:
Here’s a look at the lineup Ole Miss will put out against Oregon Friday night:
- LF Jaden Pone
- RF Lair Beautae
- DP Aliyah Binford
- 1B Persy Llamas
- C Lexie Brady
- 2B Mackenzie Pickens
- 3B Ashton Lansdell
- SS Angelina DeLeon
- CF Taylor Malvin
Brianna Lopez will be pitching for the Rebels as they look to avoid elimination.
What time does Oregon vs Ole Miss softball start?
- Date: Friday, May 30
- Time: 9:36 p.m. ET
- Location: Devon Park (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
First pitch for Oregon and Ole Miss’ softball game in the 2025 Women’s College World Series is set for 9:36 p.m. ET from Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
The game was originally set to start at 9:30 p.m. ET, but was pushed back slightly due to the preceding Tennessee-Florida game.
Watch Oregon vs Ole Miss softball in the WCWS live with ESPN+
What TV channel is Oregon vs Ole Miss softball on today?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: ESPN app | ESPN+
Friday’s WCWS elimination game between Oregon and Ole Miss will air on ESPN. Kevin Brown (play-by-play) and Amanda Scarborough (analyst) will be on the call while Taylor McGregor will serve as the sideline reporter.
Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app, which requires a valid cable login to access, and ESPN+ the latter of which serves as ESPN’s subscription streaming service.
Oregon vs Ole Miss softball predictions, picks, odds
Odds are courtesy of BetMGM
- Moneyline: Oregon (-165) | Ole Miss (+125)
Prediction: Oregon 6, Ole Miss 4
The Rebels’ bats won’t be as silent as they were against Canady and Texas Tech, but they may not have enough firepower to keep up with the Ducks, the No. 2 team in Division I in total runs this season.
Oregon softball schedule 2025
Here are Oregon’s past five results. To see the Ducks’ full 2025 schedule, click here.
- Sunday, May 18: Oregon 15, No. 16 Stanford 5 (6 innings)
- Sunday, May 18: Oregon 10, No. 16 Stanford 7
- Friday, May 23: Oregon 3, Liberty 2 (8 innings)
- Saturday, May 24: Oregon 13, Liberty 1
- Thursday, May 29: No. 9 UCLA 4, Oregon 2
Ole Miss softball schedule 2025
Here are Ole Miss’ past five results. To see the Rebels’ full 2025 schedule, click here.
- Sunday, May 18: Ole Miss 7, No. 12 Arizona 3
- Friday, May 23: Ole Miss 9, No. 4 Arkansas 7
- Saturday, May 24: No. 4 Arkansas 4, Ole Miss 0
- Sunday, May 25: Ole Miss 7, No. 4 Arkansas 4
- Thursday, May 29: No. 12 Texas Tech 1, Ole Miss 0
