The Oregon softball team travels to Arkansas this weekend to take on the 11-5 Razorbacks in a three-game break from early season tournament play.
Three weeks into the season, the Ducks are 7-3 after tournaments in San Marcos, Texas and Las Vegas.
After the Ducks’ first 10 games, junior Alyssa Laux is leading the team with a .469 batting average. Four other players — Lakeesha Eversley, Andrea Vidlund, Kristi Hall and MariLyn Petrick — are also hitting above the .400 mark. Laux’s .321 career batting average is ninth all-time at Oregon.
Vidlund and Ashley Richards have picked up hits in all but one of the Ducks’ games, and Eversley and Laux are riding five game hitting streaks heading into the weekend. Vidlund also leads the team in home runs with three and RBI with 11.
Three pitchers have taken the circle for head coach Brent Rincon’s Ducks so far this season. Lindsey Kontra’s 1.56 earned run average and 16 strikeouts lead the way. Anissa Meashintubby has a record of 3-0 and a shutout. Senior Connie McMurren picked up a save for Oregon in a 9-8 victory over Central Michigan.
In five of the team’s ten games, the Oregon defense has held the opposition to under three runs.
This weekend’s games will be the first ever between Oregon and Arkansas.