The Oregon softball team is back with unfinished business to attend to.

After getting off to one of the best starts in program history last year with a 22-2 record, the Ducks finally returned to the field in Phoenix, Arizona for the GCU Kickoff Classic on Friday. They played their first of two games, taking on the Weber State Wildcats and picking up where they left off with a 9-0 win.

Junior left-handed pitcher Brooke Yanez took the mound for the Ducks, after posting a 1.56 ERA in 15 games (nine starts) last year. She got into a sticky situation in the first inning, as a single, an error and a walk loaded the bases. However, she recorded two strikeouts to shut the Wildcats out in the first frame.

The Ducks, with only one lefty in their lineup, faced right-handed pitcher Kate Donaldson. Their bats started off cold. They recorded only a walk in the first inning, and Donaldson struck out the side in the second inning.

Fifth-year senior Haley Cruse, leading off and playing center field, was hit by a pitch in the third inning, but was left stranded at second.

Each team’s third baseman made an error during the first two innings. In the bottom of the third, second baseman Allee Bunker made Oregon’s second error of the game. Yanez came out unscathed though, as the two teams combined for just one hit through the first three innings.

In the fourth inning, Yanez gave up a leadoff double. After pinch-runner Makayla Donahoo stole third, Yanez came in clutch with two strikeouts and a groundout to keep the game scoreless. This bumped her strikeout total to seven on the day.

Alyssa Brito walked to start the fifth inning, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Hanna Delgado reached on the Wildcats’ second error of the game to put runners on the corners with one out. Cruse then walked to load the bases.

Terra McGowan brought in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly as the Ducks took the lead without having recorded a hit.

After another walk, the Ducks picked a good time for their first hit as Bunker hit a three-run triple to make it 4-0. The floodgates emptied as Ariel Carlson singled home another run, and four of the five runs were unearned.

The Ducks rallied again in the sixth inning. McGowan and Cid both singled in runs, and Bunker knocked in two more as the Ducks jumped out to a whomping 9-0 lead.

The game was called after six innings due to the NCAA run rule.

Yanez ended up going five innings, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out eight. Bunker was the star on the offensive side, going 4-for-5 with a double, triple and five RBI.

The Ducks will play the second game of their doubleheader against Montana at 11:30.