One win against one of the best softball programs in college history would have been great for the Ducks.
But instead, the Oregon softball team swept defending national champion and seventh-ranked UCLA (19-9 overall, 0-3 Pacific-10 Conference) in a doubleheader at Howe Field on Saturday for the first time in the program’s history.
“This was a huge win for us,” Oregon head coach Kathy Arendsen said. “They are the defending national champs, they are UCLA, and we have a great respect for their program, and that is why these wins are so great for us.”
Oregon (22-10, 2-1) started the first game hot, with the bats against UCLA pitcher Lisa Dodd. Oregon freshman Lovena Chaput started the inning with a single to right field and moved to second two batters later when junior Beth Boskovich walked. After a fly out to center by T.J. Eadus, sophomore Ann Marie Topps drove a single over Bruin shortstop Jodie Legaspi’s head to score Chaput.
On the play, Bruin center fielder Tara Henry’s attempt to throw out Chaput skirted into the Oregon dug out, allowing Boskovich to score and giving the Ducks a 2-0 lead.
Chaput added another run in the third inning with a line-drive home run over the right-field fence to give Oregon a 3-0 advantage.
“She threw me outside, outside and then I got my favorite pitch, and I jumped on it,” the left-handed hitting Chaput said.
Chaput, who won Pac-10 Co-Player of the Week last week, went 3 for 6 in the doubleheader with the home run, two RBIs and two runs scored.
That was more than enough for Duck hurler Amy Harris; the junior from Eugene allowed four hits and gave up one run in seven innings as Oregon cruised to the 3-1 victory. Harris is now 11-4 on the season.
In the second game, Oregon fell behind 1-0 when UCLA designated player Kristen Dedmon hit a deep solo home run to center field off of Oregon freshman Alicia Cook in the top of the second inning.
The Ducks countered in the bottom half of the inning when senior Ashley Richards hit a blast over the left-field fence off of UCLA ace Anjelica Selden to tie the score at one.
In the next inning for the Ducks, Breanne Sabol singled to left and stole second base before Chaput picked up her second RBI of the day with a single to right to score Sabol, giving the Ducks the lead for good.
Cook would only allow two more hits after the home run and Harris entered the game in the seventh to pick up her second save of the season as the Ducks won 2-1.
Arendsen said she was impressed with how both women pitched.
“(Harris) was brilliant in the first game and made me a little nervous
in the second game going to those
3-2 counts, but really battled,” the third-year coach said. “Alicia Cook in her first experience in the Pac-10 really stepped up big for us and this is just the first of many wins for her.”
On the horizon for the Ducks
is a Civil War matchup with
No. 16 Oregon State in Corvallis on
Wednesday. The Beavers have won
17 consecutive games.
“They are the hottest team in the conference right now and are feeling great about themselves,” Arendsen said, but said her team is ready for the in-state rivalry.
“But this is what Ducks do, we go try to ruin the Beavers’ day.”

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