Mild weather, T-shirts, sunflower seeds and sunglasses. That is the typical atmosphere at a regular season softball game at the University of Oregon. But it is still autumn, and the ambiance at Saturday’s fall-ball preseason doubleheader that pitted the Oregon Ducks against the Portland State Vikings was much different. Gloomy weather (accompanied by umbrellas and blankets) set an unusual tone to the Ducks’ softball contest, but it didn’t affect the play of the Oregon squad as the Ducks trounced the Vikings in back to back games, 3-0 and 15-0.
Superb pitching was key to Oregon’s wins on Saturday, as four different pitchers threw for the Ducks across the two games, combining for 20 strikeouts while allowing only four total hits.
“Samantha Skillingstad had a good start in the first game with good control all day,” Oregon head coach Mike White said. “And Jessica Moore came in the second game throwing hard with a lot of strikeouts and obviously no hits.”
In the first game, junior Kelsey Chambers singled to center field to score sophomore Kaylan Howard in the first inning to put the Ducks on the board early.
Skillingstad pitched a great game for Oregon, giving up just one hit in five full innings of work. Her excellence allowed Oregon to keep the lead despite not scoring again until the fourth inning when seniors Ashley Kivett and Cortney Kivett both scored after Howard reached first on an error.
Mikayla Endicott pitched the final two innings of the game for the Ducks, allowing no hits and striking out one. The game closed at 3-0 in favor of the Ducks.
“Anna Bertrand (Portland State’s starting pitcher) is a great player so we only expected so much room for a good offensive game,” White said.
The following game the Ducks’ offense picked it up to match the prowess of the team’s pitching, scoring in every inning except one.
In the bottom of the first, freshman Courtney Ceo reached second on a pop-fly error. Sophomore Samantha Pappas then grounded out to advance Ceo to third. Chambers then singled but Ceo remained at third, leaving runners at the corners until a wild pitch moved Chambers to second. Senior Monique Fuiava doubled off the left-field fence to score both the runners. One batter later, freshman Kailee Cuico homered on a full count to put two more runs on the board, putting the Ducks ahead four to zero.
Ceo singled to start the third inning and advanced to third after an errant throw made Pappas safe at second. Ceo then scored on a passed ball and Fuiava smacked a double to send another run across the plate. Junior Christie Nieto later singled to score Fuiava from third, making the score 7-0 after three innings of play.
Junior Lindsey Chambers batted in sophomore Allie Burger in the bottom of the fourth to add another run for Oregon.
Moore pitched four full innings, allowing no hits while striking out six. Oregon senior left-hander Brittany Rumfelt was also solid in relief, giving up three hits with six strikeouts of her own.
“I came out and hit my spots and stayed ahead in the count,” said Moore of her pitching performance. “As far as all of us, our pitching staff is about relief. We pitch well and then when someone comes in they pitch great too.”
Oregon will face Oregon State in Corvallis on Oct. 17 in the final two exhibition games of the fall softball season.
[email protected]