Oregon’s 2024 season is over far earlier than its stated goal.

Tied at 2 after three innings, the Ducks fell behind and managed just two more hits the rest of the way in a 3-2 loss to Oklahoma in the Norman Regional final Sunday afternoon.

“Any time you’re in a game like this, it’s going to be tough — we’re gonna throw punches, they’re gonna throw punches,” Oregon coach Melyssa Lombardi said. “And it’s about just staying in it, staying in it. We always talk about that it doesn’t have to look a certain way. It’s just the ability to fight and persevere and stick together and go get what we want, and you could really see that from our group today.”

Tehya Bird hit a solo home run and Emma Kauf went 2 for 3 with a game-tying RBI single in the third. Ariel Carlson was thrown out at home attempting to score what would have been the go-ahead run to end the inning.

“It was really special to be able to do that for my team and keep us in the game,” Bird said. “It’s something I’ll never forget, for sure.”

Oklahoma regained the lead in the fourth after a two-out single by Jayda Coleman, who hit an RBI double in the second, and a hit batter put two on for Tiare Jennings. The All-American knocked the go-ahead single to right center.

Oregon (30-21) had a runner on second with two outs in the fourth and sixth but OU’s Nicole May and Kelly Maxwell ended those frames with strikeouts, respectively.

May (14-2) struck out six and allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits in 5.0 innings and Maxwell picked up her second save of the season while allowing just one hit in 2.0 IP.

Oklahoma (52-6) will host the winner of the Tallahassee Regional in a Super Regional next weekend.

Elise Sokolsky allowed two runs on three hits, two walks and a hit batter over 1.1 innings in a no-decision. Taylour Spencer (7-4) allowed one run on two hits, one walk and a hit batter in 2.1 innings and Morgan Scott allowed one hit and one walk in 3.1 scoreless innings of relief for Oregon, which made it to a regional final for a fourth straight year.

Generating offense was a challenge all year for a team that lost All-Americans Allee Bunker and Terra McGowan after last season and even with career seasons from Carlson, Alyssa Daniell, Val Wong, Kai Luschar and Hanna Delgado prior to her season-ending neck injury, Oregon lacked consistent power and situational hitting against top competition.

The Ducks lose nine departing seniors, including seven starters in the field and Scott, their most prolific pitcher this season.

“I just can’t say enough about my team and how proud I am of them,” Lombardi said. “This group of seniors has been an absolute blessing. I know that no matter what’s next for them, that they’re going to excel, and then they’re gonna be just really, really good at what they do.”

— The Oregonian