If Oregon could have bypassed Oklahoma, the softball team’s trip to Norman, Okla. could have been considered a success.
But with the No. 7 Sooners (46-12 overall) standing in Oregon’s way, the Ducks (35-29) fell, struggling both offensively and defensively in two losses last weekend, with the 11-0 defeat on Sunday ending Oregon’s season.
“We played two great games (Saturday), and thought we were ready to go (Sunday),” senior shortstop Lovena Chaput said in a media release, “but (Sunday) just wasn’t our day. We’re very young, and the team has a lot to look forward to. We’ll take it in stride, and an experience like this will especially help the freshmen be better prepared in the future.”
Oregon survived two elimination games to play Oklahoma again Sunday morning for the opportunity to advance to the best-of-three super regional series and face defending national champion Arizona, winner of the New York regional.
Oklahoma made it clear quickly who was the better team with four runs in the first inning, two in the third and five in the game-ending sixth.
The Sooners’ pitcher D.J. Mathis quieted Oregon’s bats with one hit allowed through five innings and nine strikeouts.
The Ducks’ only two hits came on a single by Chaput and double by junior Sari-Jane Jenkins.
Oregon dropped the first game of the NCAA Regional to Oklahoma on Friday, 6-0, behind a complete game from Mathis, who threw six strikeouts and allowed two walks and three hits.
The Ducks topped Oklahoma 1-0 earlier in the year during the non-conference portion of the schedule and entered the NCAA Tournament confident.
But Oklahoma struck first with two runs in the first inning. The Sooners scored four more in the fifth inning with runs coming off two singles, a double and a wild pitch.
“They’re a good ball club and we didn’t do enough to beat them,” Oregon head coach Kathy Arendsen said in a media release. “They showed that they have nice speed and power and some timely hitting, but we weren’t surprised.”
Cook, who picked up the loss, rebounded the next day with a complete game two-hitter in a 1-0 shutout of Tulsa.
Oregon went ahead in the sixth inning when sophomore Neena Bryant reached base on an error and then stole second to place herself in scoring position for freshman Monique Fuiava’s run-scoring double.
Tulsa loaded the bases in the fifth inning after their leadoff hitter singled to right and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. A walk and hit by pitch put three runners on base, but Cook induced a grounder to third to end the threat.
With Tulsa eliminated in the double-elimination format, Oregon advanced to play Arkansas shortly after in another win-or-go-home contest.
This time Oregon’s bats made the difference with three runs in the first inning on a Bryant sacrifice fly and a two-run homer from Fuiava.
“We weren’t about to let our seniors go home,” Fuiava said in a media release. “They have worked too hard, and we couldn’t let them down. Our pitchers and defense had been carrying us, so it was time for the offense to do its part.”
Pitcher Melissa Rice took the lead and held it with five scoreless innings as she gave up no runs, struck out one and walked none. Cook came on in the sixth inning and earned her fifth save of the season.
[email protected]
Oklahoma ends Ducks’ postseason
Daily Emerald
May 18, 2008
0
More to Discover