Freshman pitcher Lindsey Kontra and the Oregon softball squad travel to Portland State for a doubleheader today.
The Oregon softball team has a welcomed break from Pacific-10 Conference play today with a doubleheader against in-state rival Portland State (11-20 overall, 3-5 Western Athletic Conference) at the Erv Lind Stadium in Portland.
Losing their last six consecutive contests, the Ducks and their (18-15, 0-6 Pac-10) falling record do not reveal the high level of play at which they have been performing. In five of those six losses, the opposing teams (Oregon State, Stanford and California) defeated the Ducks by a total of six runs.
Along with a desire to snap their six-game skid, memories of last year’s series against Portland State are a primary motivation for the Ducks heading into the two-game set with the Vikings. Oregon lost three of four games last year to Portland State — two of those losses came in heartbreaking fashion. It was Portland State’s first series win against Oregon since 1985.
In the first game of a doubleheader on April 3, 2001, Portland State senior Kiauna Anderson belted a walk-off two-run home run off Andrea Vidlund to win the game 4-2.
The second game was even more disastrous for the Ducks as they were ahead 7-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh. Sophomore Lisa Wangler, who has since transferred away from Oregon, loaded the bases when she struggled with her control. Connie McMurren, one of the three mainstays on this year’s pitching staff, relieved Wangler, inheriting the bases-loaded, no-outs situation. After striking out one Portland State batter, McMurren walked Anderson, allowed a double to Summer Conroy and a groundout that scored Anderson for the 8-7 game winning run.
Anderson, who also made a home run-saving catch last season against the Ducks, has since graduated, but Conroy and others have returned. Nichole Ivie (.325) and Monica Martell (.313) are leading the way offensively this year for the Vikings, and in the circle Morgan Seibert has been outstanding. Seibert (8-9) is one of only two Portland State pitchers with more than 500 strikeouts and was 3-0 against Oregon last season.
Oregon head coach Brent Rincon knows that his team will have to play well to come out of Portland with two wins.
“We don’t need any motivation to go play them,” he said. “It will give us an opportunity to re-establish the things that we do well. We’re looking forward to two tough, hard-fought ball games.”
Oregon’s double play combination of second baseman Alyssa Laux and shortstop Lynsey Haij have been solid up the middle all season. The primary leadoff and second hitter role in the lineup, Laux and Haij have combined for two home runs to go along with excellent averages (.280 for Haij and .341 for Laux).
Vidlund is leading Oregon offensively with a .375 average and seven home runs.
The pitching rotation of McMurren, Lindsey Kontra and Anissa Meashintubby have a combined ERA of 2.32.
The Ducks return to conference play on Friday when they host No. 8 Arizona State at 2 p.m. at Howe Field. Oregon hosts No. 1 Arizona at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
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