The opening weekend of Pacific-10 Conference softball wasn’t kind to the Ducks. Weather suspended one game and another was tentatively rescheduled after rain soaked Howe Field for much of the weekend.
Oregon (17-11 overall, 0-1 Pac-10) was able to finish one game, losing 4-1 to No. 3 Arizona (30-4, 1-1) Saturday.
The Wildcats scored three runs in the top of the second inning, while starting pitcher Alicia Hollowell allowed one run on five hits with 11 strikeouts to improve to 15-1.
Arizona loaded the bases with one out in the second inning before back-to-back hits broke a scoreless tie. Kristie Fox added a solo home run in the fourth inning for the Wildcats.
Oregon got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth when Lovena Chaput stroked an RBI double that scored Beth Boskovich, who singled in the previous at-bat.
Hollowell allowed only one hit in the final three innings.
Alicia Cook picked up the loss for Oregon, allowing three runs on three walks and three hits in 1.1 innings. Melissa Rice gave up only one run in 5.2 innings of relief for the Ducks.
Sunday’s game between the Ducks and Wildcats was rained out and tentatively rescheduled for May 11, when Oregon travels to Arizona.
Oregon is also scheduled to complete its game against No. 9 Arizona State (38-3, 1-0) prior to two games in Tempe, Ariz., May 12-13. The game was suspended in the bottom of the fifth inning because of rain Friday.
Trailing 2-1, the Ducks had runners on first and second base with one out.
Arizona State scored its first run on a bases loaded sacrifice fly in the second inning. Oregon responded in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double by Courtney Shlee, which plated Boskovich.
Rhiannon Baca, who scored the Sun Devils’ first run, led off the fifth with a single. Pinch runner Himmita Hixson advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Hixson scored after she was able to move up one base on two passed balls.
Oregon hosts No. 7 Oregon State (28-3, 1-1) Tuesday at 4 p.m. The Beavers’ 28-game winning streak was snapped by a 3-2 loss in eight innings Saturday against Arizona State.

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