Watch a softball pitcher obliterate a dirt clump mid-strike
Watch a softball pitcher obliterate a dirt clump mid-strike
An Oregon softball pitcher completely destroyed a poor, unsuspecting dirt clump mid-strike during the Women's College World Series.
On Friday, Ducks softball pitcher Lyndsey Grein pulled out a pitch during a 6-5 walkoff win over the Ole Miss Rebels that probably only happens in the movies. Everything was seemingly status quo for postseason softball until a rare sequence of events.
In the top of the ninth inning, Oregon catcher Emma Cox appeared to react after a pitch from Grein just as the umpire called a strike following a 3-0 count, immediately grabbing for her eye. Cox came out of her stance and bent over on the ground, visibly shaken up. A slow-motion replay showed that Grein blasted a dirt clump (mid-air!) and the particles went flying, hitting Cox in the eye. Apparently, during her delivery, Grein caught some dirt from the field in her cleat, and when she went airborne to deliver the strike, she nailed the piece of dirt. It happened so fast that the only way to see it happening was via instant replay.
Thankfully, Cox was okay and was able to finish the game. "I thought it was dirt from my glove that must have hit me," Cox explained the day after the win. "And I was like, OK, whatever. And then the umpire was like, 'No, it was a bug that flew into it, and then the ball hit you, or the bug hit you in the face.'"
"I didn't believe it until I saw the video," she said.What a world.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
18 minutes ago
- USA Today
Oregon Football's Kenyon Sadiq pegged as breakout NFL draft riser for 2025
Oregon Football's Kenyon Sadiq pegged as breakout NFL draft riser for 2025 In 2025, all signs point towards Kenyon Sadiq becoming a household name for the Oregon Ducks. With his talent, Sadiq would have been most anyone else's starting tight end for the past two seasons, but he had to play a backup role to Terrance Ferguson. Now it's his time to shine. Sadiq is one of the more experienced receivers on the Duck roster this coming season, and he's expected to have a breakout season in 2025. As a result, with his size, NFL scouts should have a field day rating him. Sadiq will be a hot commodity when the NFL draft rolls around. According to USA TODAY writer Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, Sadiq could go high in the 2026 NFL selection process. "With second-round tight end Terrence Ferguson and top receivers Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden off to the NFL, the Ducks are set for a reconfiguration in their receiving corps," he said. "Big things are expected of Evan Stewart as the former five-star recruit enters his second season in Eugene after transferring from Texas A&M, but Sadiq might be the true wild card for the offense. "At 6-3 and 245 pounds, he's a more formidable run blocker than his size might suggest. His true value, however, lies in his ability to create mismatches as a supersized receiver with impressive long speed. Sadiq will have to show he can handle being a featured part of the Ducks' offense and develop into something more than a seam threat, but he's one of the most intriguing draft-eligible tight ends to keep an eye on." The Oregon offense isn't expected to change a whole lot with quarterback Dante Moore under center, but just because of Sadiq's pure talent, the Ducks might go to him more, especially in the red zone and goal-line situations. He showed what he can do in those situations in the Big Ten title game, as he scored two touchdowns in the win over Penn State. Oregon fans have said, "More of that, please," and the Ducks are about to oblige. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
'The athletes deserve it': Patty Gasso lobbies to change double-header format
'The athletes deserve it': Patty Gasso lobbies to change double-header format The college softball world came to a halt on Monday night as the Texas Tech Red Raiders dethroned the Oklahoma Sooners in dramatic fashion with a walk-off sacrifice fly. The Red Raiders rally came after a two-run, game-tying home run from Abigale Dayton in the top of the seventh inning. Before that, Texas Tech ace NiJaree Canady was throwing a gem. The Sooners nearly extended the game to extra innings. Had the Sooners won in extras, the two teams would have turned around 30 minutes later and played again to determine who would face Texas in the Women's College World Series championship. It didn't come to that, but that didn't stop Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso from sharing her opinion on the doubleheader format in the semifinals. "I've been in this tournament enough, and there's one thing that has to change," Gasso began. "I'm going to say it out loud, and I hope the committee is going to look at this. If we are all about women's athletics and women's sports and rah-rah, do not make us play doubleheaders to get to a national championship series. Do not do that. Don't do that. They don't do it in baseball. It should not happen." The Women's College World Series has become a spectacular event over the last decade. One that's garnered increased exposure on television and led to record ratings over the years. Programs are investing more into their softball programs, and the results are noticeable. The games have been fantastic. In the Women's College World Series, there was only one game decided by more than three runs. That's how tight and dramatic these matchups have been. It would have been a shame to force a double-header to determine who would play for the national championship. And Gasso wasn't even thinking about the Sooners as she mentions that Tech would have felt maybe a bigger impact. "If we were to win or if Texas Tech were to lose, and they made it here all the way undefeated and they were to lose to us, and then we have to play another game right after, that is not fair," Gasso continued. "It's not fair to them more than it is not fair to us because we didn't get there on the road that they did. But we've got to make changes." Canady has thrown every pitch for the Red Raiders in Oklahoma City. And had the Sooners won and forced the winner-take-all game two Monday night, it's likely she would have thrown every pitch in that game. Though one could argue that's the bed Gerry Glasco made by riding his ace throughout the WCWS, it would have been detrimental to the sport not to get a rested Canady in the decider. Gasso explained that any concerns that fans wouldn't come back to watch are unfounded. The way the game has grown, it has never been more popular. From those watching in person to the traffic it generates on social media, softball has become a national phenomenon every May and June. It's best for the game and, more importantly, as Gasso discusses, for the athlete to allow them to get some rest before playing the second game. "We've got to put money into this. People will watch. They'll come back, and they'll watch this next day. This is one of the most-watched championships in any sport. Softball is one of the top. So why wouldn't you want to come back and watch that 'if' game? Or would you rather watch us have zero energy left and you're not able to throw your best because you're just trying to scrap it together? It's unfair to the athletes at this high level. That is my soapbox. Let's try to change that, even if it's going to cost a little bit of extra money. These athletes deserve it. And thank you all very much. Thank you for listening." As Terrance Mann, played by James Earl Jones, said in Field of Dreams, "People will come." The game has grown to such heights that die-hard and casual fans are tuned in for every pitch and every inning. Though the doubleheader didn't impact who was playing for the national title in 2025, that doesn't mean it's not a worthwhile discussion to be had. And when the Queen of College Softball says something, you have to believe rules committees take notice.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Oregon Football to host No. 1 LB in 2026 class on official visit this week
Oregon Football to host No. 1 LB in 2026 class on official visit this week The Oregon Ducks' list of official visitors this weekend to kick off the month of June was already star-studded, but it got even more so on Wednesday morning. According to multiple reports, 5-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson, the No. 1 ranked LB in the 2026 class, will be taking an official visit to Eugene this weekend, checking out Dan Lanning and the Ducks. Atkins stands at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, and is rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 9 overall player in the nation. Atkinson has had a good relationship with Lanning and his staff over the last year, but this visit will be a great opportunity for him to ingratiate himself in the culture at Oregon and see what it is like to be in Eugene. He will also have a chance to join some other elite prospects on campus, with the likes of 5-star Brandon Arrington, 5-star Richard Wesley, 5-star Calvin Russell, and 5-star Joey O'Brien all taking OVs to see the Ducks as well. Atkinson took an OV to Clemson last weekend, but doesn't have any other official visits on the schedule for this summer as of yet. He is still being recruited by the likes of Georgia, Ohio State, and Alabama. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
