On May 29, both Oregon and Ole Miss stepped onto the field at the Women’s College World Series, each carrying the hope of capturing the national championship. But barely 24 hours later, only one team remained standing, while the other saw their season end in heartbreak.
In a gripping showdown that stretched into extra innings, the Ducks edged out the Rebels 6-5 after ten intense innings at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. Oregon’s victory was powered by Kai Luschar’s three hits, Dezianna Patmon’s clutch two RBIs, and a remarkable 9 1/3 innings of pitching from Lyndsey Grein. This win keeps Oregon alive in the tournament, setting up a Sunday rematch against the loser of Saturday’s battle between No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 6 Texas—last year’s championship finalists.
For Ole Miss, the loss marks the end of their run. After a strong showing knocking out No. 4 Arkansas in the super regionals, the Rebels—who entered the WCWS as the only unranked team—are now out following defeats to Texas Tech and Oregon. Yet, they refused to go quietly. In the seventh inning, Ole Miss rallied with three runs to tie the game, highlighted by a powerful two-run single from Jamie Mackay. The Rebels demonstrated grit, matching Oregon blow for blow.
The decisive moment came in the bottom of the tenth. With the bases loaded and one out, Kedre Luschar earned a walk, pushing Presley Lawton home for the winning run. This clutch performance extends Oregon’s unbeaten streak to 9-0 after a loss this season, while reinforcing their impressive WCWS record when leading by three or more runs entering the seventh inning: 164 wins and just two losses since 2000.
The final score: Oregon 6, Ole Miss 5 after nearly four hours of hard-fought action. The game’s climax featured a nerve-wracking tenth inning, where Oregon held their nerve and Ole Miss was unable to capitalize despite a couple of late scoring threats.
Ole Miss had a chance to push back in the top of the 10th with runners on first and second and two outs, but a groundout ended their rally, sending the game to Oregon’s turn at bat. The Ducks managed three quick outs to send the game into extra innings, something few might have expected after the back-and-forth through seven innings.
Throughout the later innings, both teams faced offensive droughts. Oregon was shut out in the eighth and ninth innings, while Ole Miss struggled to extend their momentum beyond their seventh-inning surge. Key moments included Ole Miss stranding runners in scoring position multiple times, and Oregon’s starter Grein coming back in relief to silence a critical threat with runners on base.
Oregon’s offense sparked again in the fifth inning, with RBIs from Kedre Luschar and Rylee McCoy helping them pull ahead 4-2. Ole Miss responded by tightening their pitching staff, but Oregon maintained the lead, adding another run to make it 5-2. Despite these setbacks, the Rebels showed resilience, with Persy Llamas driving in two runs to even the score 5-5 before the tense late innings.
Ole Miss’ pitcher Brianna Lopez battled valiantly, keeping the Ducks at bay through much of the game, but the Rebels’ defense faltered at crucial moments, including some costly errors early on that allowed Oregon to jump out to a lead. Ole Miss struck first in the opening inning, marking their first-ever run in the WCWS, signaling they were ready to fight hard.
The lineups featured several standout players, with Oregon’s Kai Luschar and Dezianna Patmon delivering key offensive contributions, while Ole Miss leaned heavily on their dynamic hitters like Jamie Mackay and Persy Llamas. Brianna Lopez took the mound for Ole Miss, aiming to stave off elimination.
The game began slightly later than scheduled at 9:36 p.m. ET on May 30, after a delay caused by the preceding Tennessee-Florida match. Fans at Devon Park and watching at home were treated to a marathon match full of drama, suspense, and heart-stopping moments.
In the end, Oregon’s combination of timely hitting, resilient pitching, and clutch moments propelled them through a brutal 10-inning contest. For Ole Miss, the tournament journey has come to an end, but their fierce competitiveness and spirited comeback attempts ensured they left their mark on this year’s Women’s College World Series.
