Neena Bryant made an immediate impact as a freshman.
This spring, she says she felt the expectations to do more in her second year with the Oregon softball program.
“Going into this year, I expected for me to have a lot more pressure,” Bryant said. “It’s actually been the opposite.”
The sophomore outfielder has been able to relax with hitters providing contributions throughout the Oregon lineup. Kayleen Hudson, Joanna Gail and Cortney Kivett are the latest hitters who have left a lasting impact on the Ducks offense.
Oregon makes its long awaited return home Wednesday with a home game against Portland State. The 2:30 p.m. contest takes place at Howe Field.
Portland State (7-13) is coming off a 4-2 upset of No. 25 Washington last Saturday in the Husky Softball Classic. The win brought an end to the Vikings’ three-game losing streak, including consecutive losses to Nevada.
“They are as dangerous as heck,” Oregon coach Kathy Arendsen said. “They play us incredibly well. They’re a good team, well-coached and I have no doubt we’re going to have a really tough game.”
Hudson, Gail and Kivett had big outings during Oregon’s trip to San Diego last weekend for the San Diego Classic.
“That’s the thing about our lineup – from 1 to 9, it’s so strong and I feel confident in every single one of them,” Hudson said.
She did her part by slugging three home runs in three days.
“I don’t think I had anything more than a single before this weekend,” Hudson said. “It felt kind of good to finally get a little more power in my swing.”
Gail exploded for 10 total bases in a 3-for-3 hitting performance against Cal State Bakersfield. The third baseman hit two home runs and a double.
Cortney Kivett, along with her twin sister Ashley, has made an immediate impact this season with her speed and ability to consistently get on base.
She had at least two hits in Oregon’s three wins in San Diego and extended her hitting streak to nine games with a 1-for-4 effort in the tournament finale.
“It’s not surprising at all,” Arendsen said of Cortney Kivett’s success. “I think she’s kind of a magician with the bat. Her speed gives her so many options.”
The Kivett sisters had made it a goal to play together in college, but as Ashley Kivett says, she didn’t expect to have this kind of an impact this fast. She is hitting .222 while sharing time behind the plate and learning as she goes along.
“I thought it definitely was going to going to be a learning experience because all the players who have already been here have so much information to teach,” Kivett said.
Pitching ace Alicia Cook sat out the first day of the tournament with the flu, but returned the next day and by the end of the tournament was returning to normal, Arendsen said. Cook and Melissa Rice are shouldering the pitching duties with freshman Brittany Rumfelt out with a broken finger.
Arendsen said the injury happened in pre-game warm-ups on Sunday, Feb. 24. The fracture of the index finger on the lefthander’s pitching hand has Arendsen saying Rumfelt will be out at least another week or two.
“It’s just really poor timing for an injury and a tough one on a pitcher,” Arendsen said.
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