RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
Quack Attack alert… watch out for the Oregon Ducks, who took a four-game series from Utah over the weekend and are now 20-1… but they all didn’t come easily.
The Pac-12 school needed a big rally in the first game of a double-header on Saturday and got the big hits when needed to set up the walk-off dramatics by infielder Rachel Cid.
Rachel delivered the walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to cap off another late-inning victory in Oregon’s 7-6 win over Utah to open the doubleheader on Saturday.
Oregon was down by three in the bottom of the 5th before tying it at 6-6 before the third baseman smashed the first pitch high off the netting in left to give the Ducks the big win. According to OU’s Sports Information Department, it was the first walk-off home by the team since March 18, 2018–almost exactly three years to the day–and was Rachel’s first ever walk-off hit in college.
WALK. IT. OFF 💥@rachellcid | #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/MeK9Zs7P4y
— Oregon Softball (@OregonSB) March 20, 2021
We’ve covered Rachel for several years now going back to her days with the California Cruisers and high school ball in Tracy, California. She was a Top 10 player in the 2018 Extra Elite 100 as well.
Here’s more on the sophomore who also went 2-for-3 in Sunday’s 5-2 win at home over the Utes…
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Player Spotlight: Rachel Cid
Originally published July 11, 2018 on Extra Inning Softball
NAME: RACHEL CID
Hometown: Tracy, California
Positions: 3B/MIF
Club Team: California Cruisers-Sievers 18U
High School: Tracy High (Tracy, California)
GPA: 3.6
College: Oregon
When Committed: Freshman year of high school
Height: 5-foot-3
Other Sports: I played golf when I was nine
Top Stats/Honors: Extra Inning Softball 1st Team All-American; Extra Elite 100 (Top 10 ranking); senior year batted .564, nine HR’s, 41 RBI’s and 26 walks
Other Universities Considered: Washington, UCLA, Oklahoma, LSU, Arizona
Preferred College Major: Human Physiology
Scouting Report: Rahcel hits for average and for power to all fields, excellent defender at third with a good arm and makes good reads on the short game.
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What’s your approach to hitting that you believe has made you successful?
Be aggressive and look for a good pitch early in the count.
What’s been the highlight of your career and why?
Winning the San Joaquin Section title and hitting two two-run home runs in the championship game on my 18th birthday!
What’s been the #1 thing in your mind that’s helped you develop as a good hitter?
Knowing that I’m just as comfortable hitting with two strikes as with hitting with no strikes on me.
What goes through your mind as you step into the batter’s box?
Relax and square something up.
Other than the obvious, getting on base, what would you qualify as a successful at-bat?
To me a successful at bat is finding a good pitch in my power zone and squaring the ball up. Or if someone is on base, doing my job and moving the runner over.
Who’s a player, past or present, you look up to and why?
Jenna Lilley because her passion for the game is crazy. She always goes all out!
When did you first realize you had the ability to play at the next level?
When I was around 13 and major colleges started asking my coaches about me.
What is it you love about softball if you were explaining your passion for the sport to someone not familiar with it? I love softball because it’s such a fast sport, it always keeps you on your toes, you never know if the balls coming to you and you have to always think one step ahead for the next play. I love playing with a team. The relationships you form create a sisterhood like no other. Girls you battled against on the field become friends because of this sport.
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2018 Elite 100 Player Spotlight: Will Rachel Cide Be the Ducks Next Jenna Lilley?
Originally published May 21, 2018 on Extra Inning Softball
Through the first weekend of Regionals play in the Div. I Women’s College World Series, the Oregon Ducks have shown why they were the top seed, winning all three of their games so far via shutouts as they get ready to face Kentucky in the Super Regionals.
Anchoring third base as she has for the last four years is All-American Jenna Lilley, a member of Team USA who will compete in the Japan All-Star Series for the U.S. to be held June 20-23.
Jenna, who’s hitting leadoff for Mike White’s team and has a .367 average and .488 on-base percentage right now, is a key reason the Ducks are flying high right now, but looking down the road who will replace the senior standout from Canton, Ohio once she graduates?
One strong candidate is Rachel Cid, a power-hitting, defensive vacuum cleaner at the hot corner, who is one of the top-rated players in the 2018 class (ranked by Extra Inning Softball as #9 in the recently released Elite 100 player ratings).
The high school senior from Northern California would love nothing more to be mentioned in the same breath as Lilley; for, when asked who she’d love to have dinner with Rachel answers: “Jenna, because she’s been through the college experience and I love the way she plays the game all around.”
The tie between the two extends further: when Rachel took an unofficial visit to Eugene as a freshman, she mentions talking to Lilley, among other players, as being a deciding factor in why she ultimately committed to Oregon.
Will Rachel be the heir apparent (or is that “air apparent?”) to bring the great stick and defensive prowess Jenna has at third base?
Only time will tell, but with her great power, ability to hit for a high average and consistent play in the infield—last year, for example, in 41 innings at PGF Nationals she made only two errors—Rachel is as good of a bet as any.
And you know she’s been watching her future team this week, stating: “Oregon is looking very strong, especially the pitching staff and everyone is doing their job in executing and manufacturing runs. I think the bats needs to wake up just a little bit more as they move into the Supers and hopefully the WCWS.”
Here’s more on this player who is definitely one to watch starting next year in the Pac-12…
NAME: RACHEL CID
Hometown/ST: Tracy, CA
Grad Year: 2018
Position(s): 3B/MIF
Club Team: California Cruisers – Sievers
High School (City/ST): Tracy (California)
GPA: 3.6
College: Oregon
When committed? Freshman year
Height: 5-foot-3
Top Honors/Accomplishments: Becoming an Oregon Duck; Extra Inning Softball Elite 100 #9 ranking in the 2018 class; Tracy single season record holder with 55 RBI and .607 batting average; three-time League MVP (2018, 2017, 2015).
Key High School Stats: Currently hitting .612 in 26 games with seven home runs, 35 RBI, .696 on-base percentage, 1.164 slugging percentage, 1.860 OPS and .957 fielding percentage this season.
Other Sports? Played golf when I was younger
Other Universities Considered: Washington, Arizona, UCLA, Oklahoma, LSU
Preferred College Major: Human Physiology
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Your last day of high school is Friday (May 25) and your ceremony is Saturday… what’s going through your mind about your final week at Tracy High?
As my senior year is coming to an end, I am excited to graduate and move on to the college atmosphere. However, I am a little sad that I am leaving my closest of friends behind, but I know I will meet so many new people in college and have an even greater time in college than I did in high school.