After winning their first Pac-12 championship three years ago, the Ducks (45-5, 20-2 Pac-12) aren’t ready to let go of the crown yet.
Coupled with UCLA’s 8-7 loss to Arizona State earlier in the day, No. 1 Oregon’s 3-0 victory over No. 17 Arizona clinched at least a share of the Pac-12 championship.
The Ducks, winners of the previous two championships, could clinch the title outright with a win in one of their final two games or another UCLA loss.
Cheridan Hawkins was dominant in the victory for Oregon, holding Arizona’s high-powered offense scoreless. The Wildcats entered the game as the fourth (8.17 runs) highest scoring team in the nation, but were held without a run for the second time of the year.
Hawkins struck out eight batters and allowed a Wildcats runner to get to third base just once.
Offensively, the Ducks scored all three of their runs in the first inning to put the game away.
Nikki Udria started the game off with a double off the wall before Janie Takeda recorded the first out of the game. Jenna Lilley then came to bat and launched a ball deep over the right field fence to score herself and Lilley for the early 2-0 lead.
Hailey Decker scored the final run of the game when she came around to score on a Geri Ann Glasco single.
Karissa Hovinga entered the game in the seventh inning in replace of Hawkins but struggled right away. After giving up a single and an Oregon error, Arizona had runners at first and second with no outs and that’s when Hawkins re-entered the game.
She promptly stuck out the next three batters she faced to close out the game.
Oregon will go for the series-clinching win tomorrow in Arizona. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
Follow Ryan Kostecka on Twitter: @Ryan_Kostecka