For the first time all year, Oregon (30-5, 8-2 Pac-12) junior pitcher Cheridan Hawkins was less than stellar.
Hawkins entered the game with an NCAA best 0.43 ERA on the season but was lit up by UCLA (31-6, 6-1 Pac-12) in the first game of a three-game series. Hawkins gave up six runs on four hits in 2.2 innings as the No. 1 Ducks fell 8-1 to the Bruins in Los Angeles, California.
It was the first time all year that Hawkins had given more than two earned runs in a game. She had given up six runs total in her previous 97 innings an with the loss, her ERA is now at 0.84 on the season.
Jasmine Smithson-Willett entered the game in the third inning and threw the remainder 4.1 innings, giving up two runs on four hits.
For how much Hawkins struggled in the pitcher’s circle, the Ducks’ offense struggled even more in the batter’s box.
Koral Costa was the only Duck to register a hit against UCLA’a Ally Carda. After leaving five runners on through two innings, Oregon broke through in the third when Costa hit a solo homerun for the only run of the game.
The Ducks play the Bruins again tomorrow at 2 p.m.
Follow Ryan Kostecka on Twitter: @Ryan_Kostecka