It wasn’t the greatest of starts for Cheridan Hawkins.
After struggling with control in the first inning and loading the bases, a visit from head coach Mike White calmed Hawkins down and helped her get through the inning.
Hawkins dominated from that point on, striking out a season-high 14 batters in helping the No. 2 Ducks defeat No. 19 Cal 5-2 in the series opener.
Offensively, Jenna Lilley and Hailey Decker provided much of the offense. Lilley finished the game by going 1-for-2 with two runs scored but Decker went 2-for-3 with two RBI’s.
Oregon struck first in the second inning with two outs. Lilley got the rally started with a two-out single to left field to bring up Decker. Decker followed through with a double that scored Lilley. Decker’s hit looked like a normal ground ball to the Cal second baseman but a bad hop sent the soaring over her head and all the way to the wall.
The Ducks struck again in the third inning when they took advantage of a Cal error to plate two runs. With Janelle Lindvall and Koral Costa on first and second, Mercado dropped a bunt to third base. The Cal third baseman fielded the ball and threw wildly to the second baseman covering first base, sending the ball into right field and bringing home the two runs.
With Hawkins cruising along, Oregon added solo runs in the third and fourth innings.
After Lilley worked a walk in the third inning, Decker hit another double that brought Lilley around the bases for the run.
Janie Takeda got Oregon’s RBI in the fourth inning when she hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield that scored Mercado.
Hawkins gave up two runs in the fifth inning when she surrendered a two-run bomb over the scoreboard in right field.
She settled down after that, not allowing another hit the rest of the game.
Oregon and Cal return to action tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. for the second-game of the three-game series.
Follow Ryan Kostecka on Twitter: @Ryan_Kostecka