Oregon has found success against an unusual opponent in the Pacific-10 Conference.
Try Arizona, the two-time defending national champion, and All-American pitcher Taryne Mowatt.
The Oregon softball team’s trip started in Tucson and continued through the weekend with games in Tempe, Ariz., against Arizona State. Although the last two games turned into losses, it was the Ducks’ upset Friday of No. 11 Arizona that highlighted Oregon’s trip.
Oregon (29-22, 2-11 Pac-10) trailed Arizona going into the final two innings before mounting a rally in the sixth.
Neena Bryant made it to first base on an error. Shortstop Lovena Chaput came up next and made a sacrifice bunt that pitcher Taryne Mowatt threw over the head of the second baseman into deep right field that allowed Bryant to score.
The score knotted the game at one and set it up for Oregon to go ahead in the seventh inning.
Again, it was Bryant making the difference, this time with an RBI single that scored Sari-Jane Jenkins and gave Oregon a 2-1 advantage.
“We gave away that game with some errors,” interim coach Larry Ray told the Arizona Daily Star. “And then we gave their best hitter an opportunity to swing the bat when we shouldn’t have. That was the ballgame.”
The victory also gave Oregon its first series win over the Wildcats, who also fell to the Ducks 3-2 on April 6 at Howe Field. The loss left Arizona in the unusual position of being below .500 in the conference at 6-7, even though it picked up two wins the following days versus Oregon State.
“I thought (Friday) was awful. I mean, one run … and a couple defensive mistakes,” Mowatt told the Daily Star. “We give them their only two wins in Pac-10.”
The next two games were less kind to Oregon upon running into No. 1 Arizona State.
Oregon’s first game Saturday with the Sun Devils, started by pitcher Brittany Rumfelt, had the Ducks trailing from the first inning.
Arizona State scored three runs in the opening frame via an RBI double to left field by Krista Donnenwirth and a two-run homer, also to left, by Mindy Cowles. The Sun Devils tacked on two more runs in the third inning on a Kristen Miller single that was misplayed by Bryant. Arizona State scored its last run in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Cowles.
The Sun Devils pitcher Megan Elliott (17-0) maintained her perfect record with a complete game, three-hitter while striking out 10. Rumfelt pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits with a strikeout and a walk. Melissa Rice came on in the third inning and pitched the final 3 2/3 innings and gave up three hits with a walk and no strikeouts.
Sunday provided few positives for the Ducks in a 9-0 drubbing by Arizona State. The Sun Devils (52-3, 14-1 Pac-10) accumulated 12 hits in the five-inning contest shortened by the mercy rule.
Pitcher Katie Burkhart picked up the complete-game win for Arizona State, allowing two hits and collecting nine strikeouts. Kaitlin Cochran had a grand slam and Miller also provided a two-run home run.
Cook (13-10) earned the start and gave up seven runs and 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings. Melissa Rice pitched the last 1 1/3 innings and allowed two hits and two runs.Third baseman Joanna Gail and Bryant had the lone hits for Oregon.
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