The University of Oregon softball team stayed alive in the 2025 Women’s College World Series on Friday night with a walk-off victory over Ole Miss in extra innings -- but not before an incredible coincidence caused a little bit of chaos.
The Ducks and Rebels were tied with two outs in the top of the ninth of Oregon’s 6-5, 10-inning win at Devon Park in Oklahoma City when Oregon catcher Emma Cox snagged a 3-0 strike from pitcher Lyndsey Grein and immediately bent over in pain. A replay of the pitch showed that a speck of dirt had flown into Cox’s eye -- but how it got there has to be seen to be believed.
During her delivery from the pitcher’s circle, Grein kicked up some dirt from the infield with her cleat -- and then her pitch hit it! We’re not making that up: The softball burst the clod of dirt into tiny pieces, one of which caught the unfortunate Cox in the eye. The moment was captured expertly on instant replay.
All’s well that ends well, though. Cox stayed in the game, leading off the bottom of the 10th with an infield single before Oregon plated the winning run later in the inning to stave off elimination. And she’ll now have an unbelievable, if unfortunate, story to tell.