Road warriors for more than a month, Oregon softball couldn’t have hit a more necessary time to play in Eugene for the first time.
Oregon lost all three games last weekend in Reno, Nev., to drop to 8-15. The only rhythm the team has found itself in is its inconsistency. After losing its first two games of the season on Feb. 6, Oregon won three straight games, its longest winning streak of the season. At its next three tournaments, their records were 2-3, 1-4, 2-3 – hardly the kind of momentum Oregon head coach Kathy Arendsen had hoped to have 10 days before the opening game of the Pacific-10 Conference season.
What Oregon has been looking for all season might just be found at Howe Field, Arendsen said.
“We’re eager now to sleep in our own beds, be at home to play on Howe Field with our friends and family here,” Arendsen said. “We have certainly been battling consistency issues. I can’t fault any of their efforts. They’re doing everything right other than getting the win.”
As such, the Ducks play tonight at 5 p.m. against Portland State. Oregon held a 3-1 record against the Vikings last season, but lost its home opener to the Vikings.
Several of Oregon’s top individuals have shined during the preseason. Junior outfielder Neena Bryant garnered all-tournament honors at last week’s Wolf Pack tournament in Reno by leading the Ducks with five hits, three doubles, a .500 batting average, eight total bases and two stolen bases.
Sophomore first baseman Monique Fuiava leads the team with seven home runs, five more than any other teammate. As well as she has played, she knows her team has to find consistency to compete against PSU, let alone the Pac-10.
“We have talented girls on our team, it’s just a matter of when we’re able to click together,” Fuiava said. “I think it’s a good reality check because, granted, we’re always on the road and it’s good for us to have a feel for our own field.”
Howe Field will look different than it has in a long time because of the addition of lights in the offseason.
Any notion that the team’s five weeks away from rainy Eugene was a vacation is an overstatement, the team said. Despite tournaments in Palm Springs and San Diego, Calif., being able to play without travel is an added benefit that they hope will help with their consistency.
“We’ve had a tough five weeks,” senior shortstop Sari-Jane Jenkins said. “We’ve made a lot of progress and for every couple steps we’ve taken forward we’ve also taken a couple back.”
The last thing Oregon wants is a step back against Portland State on the eve of the Pac-10 season. Arendsen hopes her team realizes how hard the Vikings will play.
“PSU is a feisty good ball club,” Arendsen said. “They’re not a team you can say ‘It’s Portland’ and move on because Portland has many players who would love to be Ducks. Many of them would have loved to be in the Pac-10. They’re not, so they’re spoilers.”
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