As University students enjoyed a week-long break from their studies, the No. 10 Oregon softball team had little time to rest with eight games scheduled in eight days, capping spring break with a 5-3 record to improve to 23-7 on the year.@@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&KEY=&SPID=245&SPSID=4374@@
On March 24, the Ducks opened the Pac-12 season with a three-game series against Oregon State in Corvallis, where they went 1-2 against a much-improved Beavers squad.@@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&KEY=&SPID=245&SPSID=4374@@
Oregon sealed a come-from-behind victory in the series opener, 8-2, thanks to junior pitcher Jessica Moore’s 14th complete-game effort in 2012.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=245&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205403465@@ Moore (currently at 15-5) struck out six, walked two and gave up just two hits, and neither of Oregon State’s runs was earned.@@see above link@@
It was more of the same for Oregon the following day, battling back from a 4-0 deficit to tie the game at 4-4 in the sixth inning.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=245&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205403794@@ But Oregon State held on to win, 5-4, via a two-out hit-by-pitch that scored the deciding run in the bottom of the eighth.@@see above@@ Freshman right-hander Karissa Hovinga (currently at 7-2) was tagged with her first loss of the season.@@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&SPID=245&SPSID=4375@@
When Oregon State cruised to a 7-1 win to close out the series in the third game, Oregon then dropped consecutive games for the first time since the season’s opening week.@@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&KEY=&SPID=245&SPSID=4374@@
The Ducks jumped right back into action last Wednesday when they hosted Mountain West Conference opponent Boise State for another three-game series.
Oregon used a three-run sixth inning and another dominant pitching performance from Moore to end the Broncos’ 11-game winning streak in the opener of Wednesday’s doubleheader.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=245&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205405376@@
With nine strikeouts — her second-best single-game effort this season — Moore improved her career strikeout total to 577, just seven shy of the school record of Amy Harris (584).@@see above@@ Moore went on to break that record later in the week.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=245&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205406830@@
Senior shortstop Kelsey Chambers went 2 for 3 with a pair of runs scored and her fifth home run of the season in the 4-1 victory.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=245&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205405376@@
In the nightcap, Chambers (2 for 3, two RBI), Christie Nieto (2 for 3, three RBI) and Jamie Rae Sullivan (2 for 3, four RBI) each recorded multiple hits as the Ducks held off a late Boise State comeback to win 14-6.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=245&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205405497@@
Oregon ended the series with a 6-4 win, thanks to an eighth-inning two-run home run by senior reserve Lindsey Chambers, her first of the season.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=245&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205405963@@
Following the win, Oregon had just one day to prepare for defending national champion and No. 5 Arizona State.
Moore continued to lead the way for the Ducks, striking out seven and walking two in the complete game effort to give herself the school record with 586 career strikeouts. Six Oregon batters hit safely in the contest, and a three-run fifth inning proved to be all the offense Moore would need the rest of the way.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=245&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205406830@@
The Ducks closed out the break with a 7-4 loss in the Saturday nightcap after the Sun Devils drove in seven runs in the first two innings and held off a late Oregon surge to end the game.@@see above@@
Hovinga was tagged with her second loss of the season; lead-off hitter Courtney Ceo went 2 for 3 with an RBI in the losing effort.
The third game of the series was rained out yesterday after the first half inning of play, and there are no immediate plans of rescheduling.
Oregon will be back on the road this week when it travels to the Bay Area for a three-game series with the Stanford Cardinal (27-7).@@http://pac-12.org/SPORTS/Softball/Standings.aspx@@