A relaxed and aggressive Oregon softball team swept Santa Clara in two games at Howe Field Tuesday.
The Ducks allowed only one run during the afternoon, but it was unearned when a two-out single by Sabrina Franks skipped by Oregon center fielder Sari-Jane Jenkins and drove in left-fielder Jessica Clee from second base in the fourth inning of game two.
At the plate, Oregon (23-20 overall, 3-10 Pacific-10 Conference) exploded for 15 runs and 20 hits.
“Just getting on base in the first inning kind of put pressure on them,” said Jenkins, who finished the day with five hits, five runs scored and four stolen bases. “I think as the game progressed their play kind of went downhill a little bit just because we started off so aggressive and we maintained our aggressiveness the whole game.”
“When you have days like this, you just feel like you can do anything pretty much.”
In game one, the Ducks scored all their runs with two outs for a 6-0 victory over the Broncos (20-34).
“It says we don’t quit,” Oregon coach Kathy Arendsen said. “They are stepping up and providing what we need to ultimately be successful.”
In the first inning Beth Boskovich’s single scored Jenkins, who got on base after the first of Santa Clara’s five errors in the game. Two innings later, the Ducks scored two more runs after Lovena Chaput hit an RBI double over the center fielder’s head and Kayleen Hudson reached base on an error. Jenkins and Chaput scored in the inning. Almost all the Ducks went up to the plate in the next inning, when Oregon scored its final three runs.
Joanna Gail led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk and following a sacrifice bunt by Amie Morris and a pop-out by Dani Baird, Suzie Barnes laced an RBI triple down the right field line. She was followed by an RBI infield single from Jenkins and Breanne Sabol walked in the next at-bat. Boskovich hit an RBI double before Chaput grounded out to end the inning.
On the mound, Alicia Cook – who was named Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week earlier in the day – allowed only three hits for the Ducks. She allowed only one runner to reach second base and retired nine straight batters at one point during the game.
“I just wanted to keep them off base and not really give them anything good to hit,” Cook said.
Oregon scored four runs in the first inning of game two en route to a 9-1 victory that was called in the bottom of the fifth due to the eight-run rule.
Following a groundout by Barnes to open the bottom of the first, Jenkins, Chaput and Boskovich hit consecutive singles with the latter scoring the Ducks’ first run. Hudson then stroked an RBI double followed by a two-RBI double by Gail. Courtney Shlee grounded out before Morris was walked to put two on with two outs. Sabol flied out to end the inning as all nine Oregon batters reached the plate in the inning.
Oregon added a run in the second when Jenkins again followed a groundout by Barnes and scored when an RBI double by Chaput was again hit over the center fielder’s head.
“I was just trying to see the ball real well, adjusting to each pitch, just trying to stay back and stay within myself more than anything,” said Chaput, who finished the afternoon with five hits, three RBIs and three runs scored.
In the bottom of the fifth the Ducks scored their final four runs. Chaput led off with a single and Boskovich followed with a walk. Kristi Leiter pinch ran for Boskovich, but was out on a fielder’s choice at second by Hudson. Gail then stroked a three-run homer over the left-center field fence. After Shlee popped out, pinch-hitter Kristi Jorgensen hit a double off third baseman Frank’s glove. She scored to end the game when Sabol hit an RBI single up the middle.
Melissa Rice allowed only three hits with six strikeouts to earn her seventh win of the season on the mound for the Ducks.
The Ducks are scheduled to play a doubleheader at Portland State (32-14) today beginning at 3 p.m.

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