Three games.
That’s all there are before the No. 19 Oregon softball team leaves its fate in the hands of the NCAA selection committee.
And those games will be no easy task, as the Ducks (34-24 overall, 6-12 Pacific-10 Conference) travel to Seattle and Los Angeles to take on the No. 1 Huskies (54-6, 14-3) today at 2 p.m. and No. 3 Bruins (36-10-1, 11-6) on Saturday in a double header.
Last time Oregon faced these teams, the Ducks got swept. But, that is all in the past, according to senior Jill Robinson. All the team can do now is focus on this weekend and not worry about the past or the future.
“These games are really important,” Robinson said. “Getting a win or two can only help us out in impressing the committee.”
Last season, the Ducks were the last team called. Second baseman Andre Gustafson, for one, does not want to got through that feeling again.
“I was all stressed out and nervous,” Gustafson said. “I want to be relaxed and have fun, so a couple of wins will help us a lot.”
The Ducks are coming into this weekend’s play on a winning note, having beaten No. 9 California, 4-0 Sunday. That win ended a four-game losing streak and kept Oregon one game ahead of the Bears and out of the Pac-10 cellar.
“I wished we played that well on Saturday [when the Ducks lost 4-0],” Robinson said. Against Washington and UCLA, “we’ll need to come out like we did on Sunday.”
Washington is coming into the weekend riding high, having defeated the Bruins, 4-0.
Oregon is hoping to control freshman sensation Jennie Clark, who is batting .360 this season. She drove in four runs and knocked out her 15th home run when the Huskies played at Howe Field in April.
The Ducks also have to deal with Husky pitchers Jennifer Spediacci and Jamie Graves who are a combined 53-6 and sport identical earned run averages of 0.62.
Last time the Ducks faced Spediacci, the Washington hurler shut down the usually potent Oregon offense. However, the Ducks produced five RBIs on two home runs in the last three games.
UCLA is no slouch either. The Ducks have to deal with Amanda Freed, an alternate on the U.S. Olympic team. In their last meeting, Freed held the Ducks to two hits and fanned 11 in a 6-0 win for the Bruins.
But recently Oregon has found the spark in its bats again. In the final home game of the season, Robinson provided a two-run homer and freshman Andrea Vidlund drove in two runs on a bases-loaded single.
The Ducks’ pitching has been as steady as always. Both Connie McMurren and Vidlund have turned in complete game performances recently. McMurren picked up her 15th win in the victory over Cal and Vidlund has a team-best record of 16-7.
While the Ducks are the undisputed underdog in these contests, Gustafson and Robinson would have it no other way.
“Nobody expects us to win,” Robinson said. “We have everything to gain and nothing to lose. These are our games to win.”
“Coming out and beating the No. 1 and No. 3 teams in the country will surprise the committee,” Gustafson added. “We just need to go out there and kick some butt.