The No. 13 Oregon women’s softball team wrapped up its third straight road tournament with a 9-1 win over host Pacific on Monday afternoon at the Libby Matson Tournament in Stockton, Calif.
Despite a first-day loss to the host Tigers, the Ducks were able to rattle off four straight wins, improving to 14-2 on the year heading into the ESPN Rise Tournament held this weekend in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
On Monday, Oregon scored four runs in the third and three more in the fourth to jump out to a 7-0 lead, and it was never seriously threatened after that point. Three Ducks recorded multiple hits that contributed to Oregon’s 11 total in the game, with junior Christie Nieto leading the way with three hits, two runs scored and an RBI.
Sophomore pitcher Jessica Moore picked up her third victory of the weekend to improve to 7-1 on the year. She struck out five and gave up two hits in her five innings of work.
Oregon expects to see a much tougher slate of competition in Florida this coming weekend, compared to the four-team tournament it faced in Stockton. Regardless, the Ducks seem to be building a strong head of steam heading into the final month of preseason action before Pacific-10 Conference play begins April 1.
Saturday and Sunday’s results are listed below.
Pacific 4, Oregon 2
In opening-round action, Pacific used a big sixth inning to seal the come-from-behind upset over the only ranked opponent in the tournament field.
Oregon freshman Kailee Cuico put the Ducks out front 2-0 with a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning, but the Tigers responded in front of their home crowd late in the game.
Pacific opened the bottom of the sixth with a double and single, and eventually scored on a passed ball. Two more walks loaded the bases, and a third base on balls saw the Tigers cross the plate again to tie it at 2-2.
A double to right center off of junior Samantha Skillingstad tacked on two more runs to seal the 4-2 victory for Pacific.
Oregon 8, San Jose State 0
Oregon quickly turned things around in its second game of the day, cruising to an 8-0, five-inning win over San Jose State later that afternoon.
Sophomore ace Jessica Moore picked up her fifth win in six decisions, striking out seven, walking one, and allowing just one hit that came in the first inning.
Offensively, junior Kelsey Chambers hit her fifth home run of the season with a two-run shot in the bottom of the fifth, which concluded the Ducks’ sixth regulation-shortened victory of 2011 via the eight-run rule. Chambers finished the game 1-for-2 with three RBI and a walk.
Sophomore centerfielder Allie Burger chipped in with a 2-for-3 showing with a run scored and one RBI.
Oregon 6, San Jose State 0
Oregon and San Jose State picked back up where they left off on Sunday morning, with the Ducks shutting out the Spartans for the second straight game.
Moore returned to the circle for her second win in as many games, where she struck out another seven, walked four, and allowed three hits in her six innings of work.
Oregon played small ball offensively to get two runners across in the fourth inning; before sophomore Samantha Pappas and junior Lindsey Chambers launched home runs in the fifth and seventh innings, respectively.
Pappas went 1-for-2 with three RBI, while Chambers’ was a solo shot.
The Ducks got some strong defense from senior catcher-turned-outfielder Kaitlin Vitek late in the game. With the bases loaded in the sixth, Vitek grabbed a line drive to left and fired it to second base to complete the double play on a runner who failed to tag up.
Oregon 1, Santa Clara 0
In a low-scoring contest, Oregon escaped with a 1-0 win over Santa Clara on Sunday afternoon. Kelsey Chambers continued to show her power with a sixth-inning solo home run to seal the 1-0 victory.
In the circle, Skillingstad held Santa Clara in check en route to her second shutout of the season. The junior was one off her career high with 11 strikeouts; she also walked four and allowed three hits in the complete game effort.
Pappas was the only Oregon player to record multiple hits, going 2-for-3, while freshman Courtney Ceo, sophomore Kaylan Howard, Nieto, Chambers and Vitek each tallied base hits.
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