EUGENE, Ore. – A historic 2018 season ended for the Drake University softball team Saturday in a 3-0 loss to the No. 1 seed, Oregon, in the NCAA Tournament at Jane Sanders Stadium.
 
Oregon (50-7) scored all three runs of its runs in the fifth inning. Drake (45-12) was led by Sarah Maddox (Henderson, Nev.) and Mandi Roemmich (West Des Moines, Iowa), who each had two hits. As a team, the Bulldogs finished with five hits, but stranded eight baserunners as they couldn't get the timely hit against the Ducks, who didn't allow a run in their three regional games.
 
Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) started for Drake and went five innings. Newman, who fell to 22-5 with the loss, allowed three runs on six hits with two walks. Kailee Smith (Murietta, Calif.) pitched two innings in relief and allowed four hits with one walk. Oregon starter Miranda Elish tossed a shutout, scattering five hits with 11 strikeouts. Elish improved to 22-1 as Oregon advanced to its nine consecutive NCAA Super Regional next weekend.
 
Drake left Libby Ryan (Mount Vernon, Iowa) at third base in the second inning. Ryan, who pinch ran for Taryn Pena (Columbia, Ill.) after Pena's leadoff walk, stole second and took third on a throwing error by Oregon's catcher, Gwen Svekis, on the steal. However, Elish retired the next three Bulldogs to escape the jam.
 
In the third inning, back-to-back, one-out singles by Tasha Alexander (Eddyville, Iowa) and Roemmich put runners on first and second. But Elish struck out Kennedy Frank (Chesterfield, Mo.) and then got Macy Johnson (Winterset, Iowa) to ground out up the middle as Oregon's shortstop, DJ Sanders, stepped on second for the final out.
 
Maddox lined a two-out double down the left field line in the fourth inning, but Elish struck out Kelsey Wright (Olathe, Kan.). The Bulldogs once again threatened in the fifth inning as Roemmich hit a two-out single and Frank walked, but Johnson hit a ball back at Elish who tossed it to first for the third out.
 
Oregon ended the scoreless contest in the fifth inning with three runs on five hits. Alexis Mack smacked a single to left field with the bases loaded that scored two runs and one batter later, Haley Cruse, plated one run with her own single to left field.
 
Drake threatened again in the sixth inning with one out as Smith reached on an error and Maddox ripped an infield single to third. However, Elish struck out Abby Buie (Gardner, Kan.) and Newman as the Bulldogs stranded their seventh and eight runners in the game.
 
Drake achieved multiple milestones in 2018. The Bulldogs won their first-ever NCAA Tournament games with two victories over BYU, set the program record for most overall wins and Missouri Valley Conference wins with 24. Drake had a 24-game winning streak that started the final weekend before MVC play and didn't end until the second-to-last league series.

Following the conclusion of the game, four Bulldogs earned NCAA Eugene All-Region honors, Newman, Roemmich, Smith, and Nicole Timmons (Davenport, Iowa).

NCAA Eugene All-Region Team
MVP – Miranda Elish, Pitcher, Oregon, So. (2-0, 14.0 IP, 9 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 25 SO)
Pitcher – Megan Kleist, Oregon, Jr. (1-0, 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 11 SO)
Pitcher – Nicole Timmons, Drake, Fr. (1-0, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 10 SO)
Catcher – Libby Sugg, BYU, Jr. (.250 AVG, 2 H, 3 RBI, 1 BB)
First Base – Sarah Maddox, Drake, So. (.300 AVG, 3 H, 1 2B, 1 BB)
Second Base – Brielle Breland, BYU, Sr. (.375 AVG, 3 R, 3 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 HP)
Short Stop – Mandi Roemmich, Drake, So. (.357 AVG, 5 H, 1 RBI, 1 BB)
Third Base – Jenna Lilley, Oregon, Sr. (.500 AVG, 3 R, 4 H, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 3 BB)
Outfield – Alexis Mack, Oregon, Jr. (.600 AVG, 1 R, 6 H, 2 RBI, 1-1 SB)
Outfield – Lauren Burke, Oregon, Fr. (1.000 AVG, 2 R, 2 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI)
Outfield – Brooke Vander Heide, BYU, So. (.429 AVG, 3 H, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1-1 SB)
Utility/DP – Nicole Newman, Drake, Jr. (1-2, 11.2 IP, 13 H, 7 R, 5 BB, 7 SO | .286 AVG, 1 R, 2 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI)