ATLANTA — No. 24-ranked Oregon (36-19) scored a run in the top of the eighth inning to defeat No. 8 Georgia Tech (51-11), 4-3, Sunday afternoon in the 2010 NCAA Softball Atlanta Regional.

Oregon now advances to next weekend’s Super Regional. The Yellow Jackets scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to force extra innings, but a sacrifice fly by Oregon’s Ashley Kivett won the game in the top of the eighth.

Freshman Hope Rush (28-8) took the loss for the Yellow Jackets as she was charged with four earned runs on 10 hits and three walks in eight innings. She struck out three batters.

After tying the game at three in the bottom of the seventh, Georgia Tech had the bases loaded and one out when Oregon relief pitcher Mikayla Endicott struck out a pair of batters to force the extra frames. She then pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning giving the Ducks the win. She improves to 4-2 on the season and struck out four of the five batters she faced.

Redshirt senior Jen Yee hit her NCAA-leading 29th home run of the season on Sunday and finished her final year at Georgia Tech reaching base at least once in all 62 games. She leads the nation in several offensive categories.

Georgia Tech had a scoring opportunity in the first inning after a double by sophomore Kate Kuzma and single by sophomore Kelsi Weseman put runners at the corners with one out. Jessica Moore came back to strike out both junior Kristine Priebe and Rush to end the threat.

Rush struggled a bit with her control in the top of the second inning, but was able to get out of a bases loaded, one-out jam with just one run scoring. Rush loaded the bases with one out on a single and two walks.

She then walked Ashley Kivett to force in a run, but retired the next two batters to get out of the inning.

In the top of the third inning, a leadoff error gave Oregon a runner at third base and no outs but Rush was able to get out of the inning with her still standing over there.

That turned out to be a big inning as Yee led off the bottom of the frame with her 29th home run of the season to tie the game at one.