Chambana Sun

The Illinois softball team faced a challenging day in Eugene, Oregon, as they lost two games against the University of Oregon. The Ducks, ranked eighth nationally, secured victories with scores of 9-1 and 14-0 at Jane Sanders Stadium. These results precede the final game of the series scheduled for Sunday.

Illinois now holds an overall record of 13-14 and stands at 1-4 in the Big Ten conference. In contrast, Oregon has improved its record to 28-3 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten.

The first game of the series was interrupted on Friday night due to rain while Oregon was leading 6-0. The teams resumed play on Saturday at noon local time, with Oregon concluding the game with a 9-1 victory in five innings before moving on to Game 2.

A notable moment for Illinois came from freshman Ellie Haggard, who hit her first collegiate home run during the suspended game's fifth inning. Despite facing a two-strike count, she managed a solo homer to left field.

In Saturday's second game, Oregon shut out Illinois with a score of 14-0 in five innings. Freshman Keirys Click contributed by securing a hit and a walk.

The teams will meet again at Jane Sanders Stadium on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT for the series finale. It is important to note that Sunday's match will not affect the Big Ten standings.