Anissa Meashintubby and the Ducks are preparing to face No. 1 Arizona today and No. 12 Arizona State later this weekend.
Oregon softball has a difficult road to travel this weekend.
The No. 20 Ducks face their toughest remaining homestand of the season as they battle No. 1 Arizona and No. 12 Arizona State in three games beginning today at 2 p.m.
“It’s a couple tough games coming up,” head coach Kathy Arendsen said. “We’ve got to work and finish the (Pacific-10 Conference) game and hopefully get some wins in there.”
Oregon traveled to Arizona in March, losing one game to Arizona State before Arizona swept the Ducks in two games.
The Wildcats are ranked No. 1 in both national polls with an impressive 41-4 record overall, including 10-1 in the Pac-10.
“We have everything to gain and nothing to lose with Arizona,” Arendsen said. “I thought we played one outstanding game against them in Tucson — a very hostile field. I thought we struggled in the second game.”
In the first game, Oregon’s only run support was a solo home run from senior Amber Hutchison. Freshman pitcher Amy Harris struck out six in the 4-1 loss.
The Ducks were flattened the next day by Arizona. The Wildcats scattered eight runs throughout the game, while Oregon managed three hits.
“We have to play very good defense, make our pitches and we’ve got to find a way to score some runs,” Arendsen said. “We need to take advantage of any walks we get. They’re a great ballclub and we’re going to play our best.”
Arizona State scored two runs on an Oregon error in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the March game, 2-0.
“Arizona State is a really solid ballclub, but I’m hoping we can take a game from them,” Arendsen said. “We lost on an error — two unearned runs. We lost to them in Phoenix. If we can come out and not make that mistake who knows what would have happened.”
Oregon hosted Nevada in a doubleheader on Tuesday. The Ducks swept the Wolfpack, 6-1 and 4-0.
In the first game, Harris pitched 6 1/3 innings of a perfect game before eventually giving up three hits and one run. Seniors Janell Bergstrom and Andrea Vidlund hit home runs in the game.
The second game featured a two-hit shutout by Duck pitchers Anissa Meashintubby, Lindsey Kontra and Vidlund.
Freshman shortstop Breanne Sabol, who has started at shortstop in all 40 of Oregon’s games, hit her first home run of the season.
“She’s been such a defensive whiz for us, and she’s been so frustrated offensively,” Arendsen said. “To see her smiling again was just great. J. Gaudreau, our hitting coach, made an adjustment in (Sabol)’s style and her technique yesterday, and (she) really worked hard on it and brought it into the game today.”
Senior Lynsey Haij and freshman Beth Boskovich also homered in the game.
After finishing up against the Arizona schools, the Ducks continue Pac-10 play with their last conference road trip of the season. Oregon travels to UCLA on May 2 then heads north to Seattle on May 3 for two games against Washington.
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