The No. 17 Oregon Ducks softball team suffered three tough losses at No. 13 California this weekend to drop to 2-7 in Pacific-10 Conference play after falling 5-2 Sunday.
Oregon (30-11) ended a two-game scoreless streak by posting two runs in the top of the first inning, but Cal quickly responded with three runs of its own in the bottom half of the frame to regain the lead, and the Ducks weren’t able to recover.
The Golden Bears (28-8, 5-4 Pac-10) added single runs in the fifth and sixth to hand Oregon ace Jessica Moore her sixth loss of the season. For her part, Moore struck out five and allowed seven hits, and four of Cal’s five runs were earned.
In Friday’s opener, Cal snapped a three-game losing skid with a 5-0 shutout win. The Golden Bears jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead at the end of the first, then added three more in the bottom of the fourth off Moore.
Moore was relieved in favor of senior lefty Brittany Rumfelt, who walked four and gave up four hits during her two innings of work, before junior Samantha Skillingstad closed out the seventh.
Cal junior Jamia Reed paced the Bears with a 3-for-3 showing, while freshman Courtney Ceo (2 for 4) led the Ducks in a losing effort. Freshman catcher Alexa Peterson and sophomore Samantha Pappas recorded Oregon’s only other hits.
Cal ace Jolene Henderson (25-5) struck out seven, walked two, and allowed four hits in the complete game effort.
On Saturday, Oregon was again shut out by Henderson, 2-0, as the sophomore cruised to another complete game victory after she struck out seven, walked two and allowed seven hits over seven innings of action.
Ceo again paced the Ducks with a 2-for-4 outing, while freshman Kailee Cuico (2 for 3) also recorded multiple hits in the loss. Cal tallied its only runs in the bottom of the third when Frani Echavarri smacked a two-out, two-run double off Skillingstad, which proved to be the winning margin.
Oregon returns home this weekend when it hosts Oregon State in a three-game series beginning Thursday night at Howe Field. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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Oregon women swept by Cal in weekend series
Daily Emerald
April 17, 2011
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