This past Sunday, Oregon (44-8, 20-4 Pac-12) was selected as one of 16 teams to host a four-team NCAA regional. As the No. 5 seed, Oregon will have the chance to host the super regional next weekend with a win.
In its inaugural season, Jane Sanders Stadium will open its gates to Fordham (39-19, 18-4 Atlantic 10), Baylor (43-12, 13-4 Big 12) and Long Beach State (32-20, 12-9 Big West).
In recent years, Oregon has gotten used to hosting and winning regionals. This year marks Oregon’s fifth consecutive year playing host to an NCAA regional. To take it one step further: this program has yet to lose a regional game since Mike White took over as head coach seven years ago.
“We’ve had a pretty good record,” Janelle Lindvall said. “A lot of it has to do with playing at home. It’s just another level of comfort. With my time here, it’s been the Oregon tradition to host.”
As always though, this team will aim to take it one game at a time and not look too far ahead.
“Right now, it’s a new season,” White said. “It’s about right now, getting through this regional, coming out with a win, and going on to the next step.”
First up will be Fordham this Friday at 8:30 p.m. Airing on ESPN 2, this matchup will be the second of two games that day with Baylor facing Long Beach State at 6 p.m. Fordham is coming off an Atlantic 10 conference title, but against Power Five conference teams, it is 3-7 this season.
Fresh off its fourth straight Pac-12 title and a series win against Utah, Oregon is hoping to turn its momentum into a third straight birth to the Women’s College World Series. Since Jane Sanders opened, the Ducks have gone 13-3, which should help their cause.
“Just kind of be aggressive, not shy away … not feel like we have anything to lose,” Cheridan Hawkins said. “We have an advantage if anything, we’re on our home field. We get to sleep in our own beds, we didn’t have to fly, didn’t have to drive.”
For White and his players, the approach will be no different. Led by the strong hitting of center fielder Koral Costa (.415), shortstop Nikki Udria (.414) and second baseman Lauren Lindvall (.408) – all three hold top six batting averages in Pac-12 – and Oregon career shutout and strikeout leader Hawkins (21-3), this team will be looking to continue playing its brand of softball.
The challenge will be to maintain consistency when it matters most, especially on the mound where emotions can easily run high.
“A lot of times, you have failure in these regionals when you’re hyped up, a little too tense, and things start off kind of slowly,” White said. “It’s very important for us to get off to a good start against any team we play.”
Out of the three visiting teams, Baylor will likely pose the biggest threat. Having lost just four games on the road and finishing second in a good Big 12 conference, Baylor will be looking to make its own noise this weekend.
Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim