A confidence-boosting, double-header sweep Thursday didn’t do much for the Oregon softball team as it went back to the harsh reality of the Pacific-10 Conference this weekend.
After terrorizing UC-Riverside on Thursday, the Ducks (27-36 overall, 1-17 Pac-10) were dealt three straight blows by UCLA and Washington while traveling more than 2,300 miles.
Most recently, after catching an evening flight from Los Angeles, Oregon was swept in a two-game series in Seattle against the 12th-ranked Huskies. Connie McMurren (8-17) pitched a complete game for the Ducks Sunday, but gave up six runs on 10 hits in a 6-2 loss.
Senior first baseman Triawn Custer continued her hot streak, finishing the game 2-for-3 with both of Oregon’s runs.
“We actually swung the bats well today,” head coach Rick Gamez said. “But they had a couple key hits that we weren’t able to get on our end. We left too many runners on base.”
But for the second straight day, freshman pitcher Tia Bollinger — the conference leader with a 32-5 record — shut down the Ducks, allowing seven hits and two runs in six innings of work. The Huskies (36-19, 10-8) swept Oregon this season; Bollinger picked up all three wins.
Saturday was a day to forget for the Ducks.
Lisa Wangler (5-10) surrendered nine runs in the second inning and the Ducks could only muster two hits in an 11-0 defeat.
Lynsey Haij and Andrea Vidlund had Oregon’s only hits.
Junior catcher Missy Coe and the Ducks were swept by the Huskies this season. In the final week of the season, Oregon hosts Portland State for a double header Wednesday.
“We were plagued by errors and couldn’t seem to get our offense going,” Gamez said. “We just weren’t mentally tough.”
Against No. 2 UCLA (53-4, 13-4) on Friday, the Ducks had momentum going into the fourth inning and clung to the hope of an upset.
Vidlund’s three-run bomb in the first inning gave Oregon an early lead, which Vidlund added to in the fourth after a base hit and a run scored.
But the Bruins made their comeback in the fourth, scoring four runs to tie the game. UCLA then added two more in the fifth and hung on for the 6-4 win.
Freshman Keira Goerl (24-1) picked up the win for UCLA.
“I thought we did a great job of battling,” Gamez said. “We were focused throughout, and Connie threw a great ball game.”
Vidlund and Custer hit grand slams in a double-header sweep against UC-Riverside on Thursday. Junior Kristi Hall hit two home runs in the second game, while sophomore Janell Bergstrom and junior Alicia Mickes each added a blast in the first game.
Anissa Meashintubby and Wangler each picked up a win against the Highlanders.
