The Pacific-10 Conference season marches on for the Oregon softball team as they host three games at Howe Field this weekend.
The Ducks (18-15 overall, 0-6 Pac-10) face No. 6 Arizona State (33-9, 3-2) at 2 p.m. today and then No. 1 Arizona (35-5, 4-1) at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Leading the way for the Sun Devils is third baseman Phelan Wright with a .460 batting average, six home runs, and 13 doubles. She is second on the team with 30 RBI. Shortstop Kara Brun and first base/outfielder Nichole Thompson are also batting better than .400.
Arizona State pitcher Kirsten Voak, a two-time All-American, has 881 career strikeouts — the most in school history and fifth all-time in the Pac-10. This season Voak has a record of 7-3 with a 0.95 ERA and 90 strikeouts to go along with just 10 walks.
The top-ranked Wildcats have outscored opponents 273-49 in their 40 games this season, during which they have tallied 70 home runs — including 11 grand slams. The team has committed 19 errors to opponents’ 48, and has 260 RBI to opponents’ 48.
Sophomore Leneah Manuma leads the team with 17 homers and 59 RBI. Last season she smacked 19 round-trippers. Leadoff hitter Lovie Jung leads the team in batting average (.431), runs scored (47), doubles (8), hits (50) and walks (30). Heading into Arizona’s game today against Oregon State, Jung has a 10-game hitting streak that ties Manuma for longest streak of the season.
The defending national champion, Arizona is coming off two tight games last weekend at home against UCLA — the national runner-up last year. The Wildcats won the first game 6-5, and the Bruins came back for a 3-2 win the following day.
Arizona State hosted UCLA and Washington last weekend. The Sun Devils came away with three wins — 3-2 over UCLA on Friday, 3-2 over Washington on Saturday and 6-1 over the Huskies again on Sunday.
The Ducks had their last two games — a double header at Portland State on Wednesday — rained out.