The No. 12 Oregon softball team dropped two of three games to No. 9 Missouri in the Ducks’ final nonconference matchup of the season this weekend at Howe Field. @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&SPID=245&SPSID=4374@@ @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205424040@@
The Ducks (37-14) fell, 5-4, in Friday’s opener but came back to win game two, 8-3, early Saturday afternoon. The Tigers closed the series with a 7-3 victory later that day.
Junior outfielder Samantha Pappas jogs the bases after hitting her seventh homerun of the season in game 2 of the Oregon Ducks’ 2 -1 series loss to the Missouri Tigers. (Nate Barrett/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Three errors defensively led to a Missouri comeback late in Friday’s contest, as the Tigers scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning to secure the lead. That poor defensive play overshadowed multiple-hit games from Kaylan Howard (2 for 4), Kailee Cuico (2 for 4) and Samantha Pappas (2 for 3). Starting pitcher Jessica Moore was tagged with the loss, though only one of the five runs she allowed was earned. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=245&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205423724@@
The defensive struggles continued on Saturday, with the Ducks committing another four errors in the field. However, a stellar pitching performance from Moore and freshman righthander Karissa Hovinga limited the visitors to just one hit in the game. Pappas’ seventh home run of the season sparked a five-run third inning for Oregon, and the lead was never seriously threatened after that point. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=245&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205424143@@
Game three belonged to Missouri’s All-American pitcher Chelsea Thomas, who struck out nine, walked four and allowed three runs on six hits. Senior shortstop Kelsey Chambers provided the Ducks with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth, but it wasn’t enough to shake Thomas’ rhythm in the circle. @@http://www.mutigers.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/thomas_chelsea00.html@@ @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=245&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205424040@@
Oregon will return to action this week when the UCLA Bruins come to Eugene for a three-game series beginning Thursday evening.
