The Oregon softball team is back to its winning ways.
After losing two of three to No. 15 UCLA last weekend at home, the No. 6 Ducks regrouped with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Portland State. Oregon won the first game 7-1 behind the stellar pitching of Megan Kleist, and then had an offensive explosion in a run-ruled 11-3 victory in the second game.
Game 1: OREGON 7 — Portland State 1
Kleist threw 5.0 innings and surrendered one run on five hits with four strikeouts to improve her record to 12-3 on the season. Kleist started the game off with a perfect first inning before working herself out of trouble in the second. With the bases loaded and one out, Kleist induced a strikeout and a groundout to get out of the jam.
The Vikings got to Kleist in the third inning when she gave up a leadoff single and a double two batters later. Like before, Kleist buckled down and got the final two outs on back-to-back groundouts.
Geri Ann Glasco threw the final 2.0 innings for Oregon, striking out two and giving up one hit.
Offensively, Oregon scored three runs in the second inning, one in the third and three more in the fifth. Oregon took advantage of two Portland State errors and two walks to score most of its runs. Gwen Svekis added a two-run blast in the fifth inning.
Danica Mercado went 3-for-3 with a run scored while four other Ducks secured hits.
Game 2: OREGON 11 — Portland State 3 (5 innings)
Oregon jumped all over Portland State in the first inning as it scored five runs in the frame. Nikki Udria got it started with a two-run blast, her 11th homerun of the year, while Lauren and Janelle Lindvall each had RBI’s later in the inning.
The third inning saw the Lindvall sisters star again. Lauren singled home a run before coming around to score on big sister Janelle’s three-run blast.
The Ducks completed their scoring in the fourth inning when Glasco hit a two-run bomb that scored Koral Costa for the 11-0 lead.
The Vikings would score three runs in the top of the fifth inning off Jasmine Smithson-Willett when she gave up three runs, two earned, on two hits. The Portland State runs weren’t enough though as the game ended after the eight-run deficit after five-inning mercy rule.
Cheridan Hawkins got the start in the pitcher’s circle and was solid through her 4.2 innings thrown. She gave up one hit and one walk while striking out 12 of the 15 batters she faced.
Lauren went 3-for-4 while Janelle, Costa and Glasco all added two hits each for the Ducks, who pounded out 12 as a team.
Oregon returns to action starting Friday when it travels to Corvallis for a three-game series with Oregon State. First pitch on Friday is set for 3 p.m.
Follow Ryan Kostecka on Twitter @Ryan_Kostecka