What started out as a promising weekend turned into a two-game losing streak for the No. 17 Oregon softball team.
The Ducks (33-20 overall, 5-8 Pacific-10 Conference) opened the three-game set with a 1-0 win over No. 4 Arizona State, but then dropped the next two to No. 2 Arizona 2-0 on Saturday, and 1-0 on Sunday.
Despite the consecutive losses head coach Rick Gamez is pleased with where his team is at this point of the conference season.
“I don’t think that anybody expected us to win or to be where we are [in the Pac-10 standings],” Gamez said. “We were picked to finish last in the conference and here we are in the thick of things.”
Starting pitcher Connie McMurren held the Wildcats to five hits Sunday, but one of those hits was the winning one. McMurren gave up a home run to Allison Andrade in the top of the third inning for the game’s only run.
Arizona also had another scoring opportunity in the seventh but was failed to score, thanks to a controversial call that negated a would-be run.
With runners on first and third and none out, Lauren Bauer hit a dribbler down the first base line. McMurren grabbed the ball and reached to tag Bauer who leaned back towards home plate. The home-plate umpire called her out, but the runner from third crossed the plate, temporarily pushing the Wildcat lead to 2-0.
After a discussion with the officials, Gamez protested and forced the umpiring crew to consult the rule book. Upon further review, the umpires ordered the runner back to third.
“The rule is any backward movement, it doesn’t have to be a step, just any movement at all,” Gamez said. “You just read up on the rules and every now and then one of these rules will come up.”
Once the dust had settled, McMurren and the Ducks still had two runners on base with only one out. McMurren kept momentum with the Ducks by getting the next two Wildcats to fly out.
Oregon loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh for the second day in a row. But the Ducks were unable to get the tying run home.
Saturday’s contest featured a pitcher’s battle. Freshman Andrea Vidlund (16-5) threw seven strong innings of three-hit ball, only to lose 2-0.
The game remained 1-0 until the top of the seventh, when, with a runner on second, Andrade delivered a run-scoring single right back up the middle to drive in Arizona’s second run.
“Andrea’s performance showed how much she’s stepped up her game both mentally and physically,” Gamez said. “That’s important — especially down the stretch.”
The Ducks loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh with only one out. But Wildcat starter Jennie Finch shut the door by getting the next two outs to preserve the win.
Oregon opened the weekend with an upset of No. 4 Arizona State. Senior Jill Robinson scored the only run of the game with her 31st home run of her career to deep left field.
“Right when I hit the ball I knew it, it just had that pure feeling,” Robinson said. “It feels good to tie the record.”