3Amy Harris doesn’t fear the pressure – she doesn’t even feel it.
The senior leads the Oregon softball team, ranked 22nd in the preseason USA Today/NFCA poll, on the mound today against No. 19 Florida at noon as the Ducks begin the 2006 campaign at the Houston Invitational. Oregon also plays host Houston today at 4 p.m.
Harris, the only current pitcher with collegiate experience on the Ducks’ roster, has had to pick up extra innings since sophomore Alicia Cook was ruled academically ineligible for the rest of winter term.
“I don’t feel that it’s pressure; I just feel like it’s an expectation,” Harris said. “I’m ready for it. I’m not going to come in thinking it’s some burden on my shoulders.”
Harris’ team-first attitude comes with 84 starts and the goal to get past the NCAA Regional Tournament, where the Ducks have come up only one game short of earning a trip to the Softball World Series the past two seasons. So the spotlight isn’t anything new.
“It’s just something that you have to get used to,” Harris added. “It’s never easy, but at the same time you kind of need to set an example and be a leader. We do have a little bit of adversity right now and we just have to overcome that. All I can do is give 100 percent of my effort and then hope that everyone does their part, and I know they will.”
The earliest Cook could be cleared to play is April 3, after the Pacific-10 Conference schedule begins.
“From an experience point of view, sure,” Oregon coach Kathy Arendsen said, referring to the loss of Cook hurting the team. “Not having her out there does affect us, but that’s the way it is. We’ve already moved on.”
Harris’ 1.30 ERA last season was the lowest for an Oregon pitcher in 10 years and ranked fifth in the Pac-10. She set the single-season strikeout record with 203 and became the school’s all-time leader in that category with 487. “I think Amy Harris is going to be one of the top pitchers in the Pac-10,” Arendsen said. “Amy is a strong, confident pitcher who has worked hard for her success. As long as she stays healthy, I think we’ll be fine.”
A core of 11 returning players lead the team in the field and at the plate.
Beth Boskovich, who ranks ninth in career home runs with 19 and fourth in walks drawn with 85, and Harris lead a group of four seniors who have a combined 593 starts.
“I’m really excited to start this year,” Boskovich said. “It’s my senior year and I want to go out with a bang.”
That is certainly what the season started with as the Ducks were picked last in the Pac-10 preseason coaches poll, a spot that no one on the Oregon roster feels is correct.
“Not eighth,” Arendsen said.
“Obviously, we see it as a challenge and a motivate for us. In our conference, finishing one through eighth could be very close to each other. We are still ranked 22nd in the country. I think we are a legitimate ball club, one that’s going to have to be dealt with. I don’t see us last and I’d be very surprised if we are near the bottom at the end.”.
“We’re going to surprise a lot of people,” Boskovich said. “I know a lot of people are overlooking us, but that’s going to be their problem come gametime because we are going to pound them. We’ve got pitching, hitting and fielding so I think we’ll be fine.”
Oregon finishes the Houston Invitational Sunday against Kansas at 10 a.m.

[email protected]