The No. 8 Oregon softball team will host Portland State University in a nonconference doubleheader Wednesday afternoon beginning at 3 p.m. at Howe Field. @@http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/softball/d1@@ @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&SPID=245&SPSID=4374@@
The Ducks (29-9, 8-5 Pac-12) enter the matchup fresh off a three-game sweep over Utah in Salt Lake City last weekend, and they’ve won six of their last eight in Pac-12 play. Meanwhile, Portland State (18-18, 8-4 Pacific Coast Softball Conference) has dropped two of its last three games, including a tough 10-9 loss in extra innings to Colorado State on Monday. @@http://www.goviks.com/custompages/Statistics/Softball/2012/teamcume.htm@@ @@I check Oregon stats in PDF@@
That contest was the final matchup of a five-game Colorado road trip for the Vikings, who went 2-3 during that stretch. Oregon’s 3-0 weekend in Utah marked the second Pac-12 series win of the season for the Ducks, having already split home series with Arizona State and Washington due to rainouts earlier this month. @@http://www.goviks.com/schedule.aspx?path=softball@@ @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&SPID=245&SPSID=4374@@
The two programs last met in March of 2011, when Oregon took two games from Portland State in Portland. Courtney Ceo and Samantha Pappas each homered in the first game of the doubleheader, an 8-3 Oregon victory, before then-senior Monique Fuiava’s three-run home run in the top of the seventh propelled the Ducks to a late 4-2 win. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=245&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205121715@@  @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=245&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205121717@@
Oregon ace Jessica Moore (21-6) did not appear in either of those games, and with a highly important series against No. 1 California looming this weekend, Moore’s time will surely be limited in this game as well. In her place, freshman Karissa Hovinga (8-3) figures to get the starting nod in the opener. The only other Oregon player that’s seen time in the circle this year is junior outfielder Samantha Pappas, with just three innings and an 11.67 earned-run average to her credit.
Junior righthander Anna Bertrand (15-10) leads Portland State’s pitching staff, while Raya Johnson (2-5) has also seen time for the Vikings. Similar to the Ducks, Portland State returns to conference play this weekend, with doubleheaders at home against Seattle on Saturday and Sunday. @@http://www.goviks.com/custompages/Statistics/Softball/2012/teamcume.htm@@