Led by their first three batters in the lineup, the Oregon softball team defeated Valparaiso 5-1 in the second round of the Pepsi Rainbow Wahine Classic to improve to 20-2 on the season.
Head coach Mike White mixed up the lineup and put Janie Takeda, the usual leadoff batter, third in the lineup while taking Courtney Ceo, the typical second batter in the lineup, into the leadoff spot. Because of the switch in the lineup, the Ducks were left without a No. 2 hitter and Alyssa Gillespie was chosen to fill that role.
She didn’t disappoint.
Gillespie led the Oregon offense by going 3-for-4 with three runs and a double while Ceo went 2-for-3 with a run and Takeda finished 1-for-3.
Karissa Hovinga got the start in the pitcher’s circle and threw well, finishing with a complete game while surrounding just three hits and one run along with seven strikeouts.
The Ducks wasted no time in getting the scoring started as they erupted for three runs in the top of the first inning.
With Gillespie and Ceo on first and second, Janelle Lindvall smacked a single to left field to plate Ceo. After Gillespie and Lindvall advanced a base on an overthrow, Alexa Peterson grounded out into a fielder’s choice but was able to plate Gillespie while moving Lindvall up to third. With two outs, Koral Costa singled to right field to score Lindvall and complete the scoring.
Valparaiso responded by scoring its only run of the game in the bottom of the first inning on a one-out single, but Hovinga was able to get the final two outs of the innings and escape the jam.
The score remained the same until the third inning when Peterson got her second RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly to right field to score Gillespie.
Oregon added its final run in the fifth inning when Costa, with the bases loaded, grounded into a double play but was able to score Gillespie to put the final score at 5-1.
The Ducks return to action for a double-header tomorrow starting with James Madison at 6:30 p.m. and then playing host Hawaii at 9 p.m. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=245&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=209433703@@
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