The long trudge through the Pacific-10 Conference season continues for the Oregon softball team.
The Ducks have lost 12 consecutive conference games this season to drop their record to 18-21 overall (0-12 Pac-10). They have lost 32 straight Pac-10 games dating back to April 1, 2001.
The Ducks began their trip on Friday with a 6-0 loss to No. 9 Washington, where they could only tally three hits against a combined pitching Washington pitching effort of Ashley Boek and Leslie Scott. Boek threw the first five innings, striking out eight and walking only one. Scott did not allow a runner to reach base in her two innings. Only three Oregon runners advance to second and the Ducks went down in order in four of seven innings.
“We were not ready to play softball today, and in this conference, you have to be prepared,” Oregon head coach Brent Rincon said. “We made some lack of intensity type of errors and good teams will take advantage of that.”
Freshman Lindsey Kontra threw four innings, allowing six runs, two of which were unearned. She gave up eight hits and two walks with five strikeouts. Anissa Meashintubby relieved Kontra in the fifth and pitched two perfect innings, striking out three.
Washington’s record, after two wins over No. 14 Oregon State on Saturday and Sunday, now stands at 37-13 overall and 6-5 in the Pac-10.
After flying from Seattle to Los Angeles, the Ducks lost another one-sided game on Saturday. No. 1 UCLA (40-6 overall, 8-3 Pac-10) blanked Oregon 7-0 behind a strong pitching performance by Amanda Freed, who improved her record to 17-2. Allowing only four hits and two walks, Freed struck out 11 Oregon hitters.
Oregon battled back with a better effort on Sunday but again fell short losing the game 3-1.
“I thought we played very well both offensively and defensively,” Rincon said Sunday. “We had our chances and were able to score, but UCLA is a top ball club.”
After the Bruins scored in the first, Alyssa Laux drove in Lakeesha Eversley in the third inning to knot the game. The run broke the Ducks’ scoreless innings streak of 17 innings.
UCLA came back with a run of their own in the third from a Claire Sua home run. They tallied an insurance run in the fourth on a Kontra wild pitch that deflected off the plate and into the UCLA dugout, scoring Erin Rahn.
The loss dropped Kontra’s record to 5-10, while Keira Goerl improved to 21-4.
Oregon continues its road trip with a double header today at Portland State beginning at 4 p.m.