Saturday, April 25
Howe Field
12:00 PM
University of Oregon
10
vs
2
#9 Louisiana
Photo by: GoDucks.com
Ducks Finish Sweep of No. 9 Cajuns
04/26/15 | Softball
by Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
EUGENE, Ore. — The No. 2 Oregon softball team finished a three-game sweep of No. 9 Louisiana this weekend by taking both ends of a doubleheader Saturday, and in disparate fashion — 10-2 in five innings, then 2-1 in eight innings.
How It Happened: After opening the day with a second straight run-rule win over the Ragin' Cajuns, the Ducks (41-5) came out flat in the finale. Oregon had just three hits and trailed 1-0 entering the bottom of the seventh, when Koral Costa hit a one-out double. Costa was thrown out at home on an infield single by Danica Mercado, but Mercado advanced to second on a walk, took third on a wild pitch and scored when Nikki Udria reached on a two-out error.
Cheridan Hawkins (23-3), who got the final out of the seventh, pitched around a single in the top of the eighth. Jenna Lilley led off the bottom of the inning with a single, advanced to third on a bunt single and an error, then scored on a walk-off sacrifice fly by Janelle Lindvall.
The first game Saturday also ended in walk-off fashion, though under much different circumstances. With the Ducks leading 9-2 in support of Hawkins' pitching, Udria walked to lead off the bottom of the fifth, took second on a bunt and scored on a double by Lilley to give Oregon the run-rule win.
Who Stood Out: Hawkins earned both wins on the day, though she battled control in the opener, hitting two batters and walking another. At least as encouraging was the support from the rest of the staff, as Geri Ann Glasco, Karissa Hovinga and Jasmine Smithson-Willett kept the score close enough for the Ducks to stage a comback in the second game. Glasco started and allowed one run in four innings, and Hovinga pitched two scoreless.
Udria scored four runs in the opener, and was 3-for-5 with three walks on the day. Lilley went a combined 3-for-5 with two runs, two RBIs and two walks, and Koral Costa had a three-double in the first game. Defensively the Ducks were error-free over the two games, while Louisiana committed four.
What It Means: The Ducks are looking like as complete a team as they have all season. Having weathered injuries to Takeda and Hailey Decker earlier in the season, the lineup is healthy for the first time in weeks. And the pitching of Glasco, Hovinga and Smithson-Willett, against a team that led the nation in home runs per game entering this week, lessens the burden on Hawkins to provide a shut-down effort every time out.
Quotable:
Nikki Udria, sophomore shortstop
On which of Saturday's two performances was more enjoyable
"We came out a little flat the second game; there wasn't as much energy. But this one was way more exciting to play. Obviously we turned up in the seventh and eighth inning. It was fun. It was a little taste of the postseason, so it's really fun to play big games like that."
Mike White, UO coach
On rallying to win Saturday's nightcap
"The first two games we were so focused. I thought we had really good intensity, and that's what you want to see. We played it up as a Super Regional, and maybe we let down a little bit that last game. But then as it got towards the end, we picked it back up. We know we can't let off the accelerator. We need to make sure we play seven innings strong."
Odds and Ends: The Ducks improved to 14-5 vs. ranked teams this season with the three victories over Lousiana. … Hawkins was the winning pitcher in all three games. … The Ducks and Ragin' Cajuns (34-8) endured a 56-minute rain delay in the fourth inning of Saturday's second game.
Up Next: The Ducks resume conference play when they host No. 20 California for the start of a three-game series Friday (5 p.m., Pac-12 Networks).
Editor, GoDucks.com
EUGENE, Ore. — The No. 2 Oregon softball team finished a three-game sweep of No. 9 Louisiana this weekend by taking both ends of a doubleheader Saturday, and in disparate fashion — 10-2 in five innings, then 2-1 in eight innings.
How It Happened: After opening the day with a second straight run-rule win over the Ragin' Cajuns, the Ducks (41-5) came out flat in the finale. Oregon had just three hits and trailed 1-0 entering the bottom of the seventh, when Koral Costa hit a one-out double. Costa was thrown out at home on an infield single by Danica Mercado, but Mercado advanced to second on a walk, took third on a wild pitch and scored when Nikki Udria reached on a two-out error.
Cheridan Hawkins (23-3), who got the final out of the seventh, pitched around a single in the top of the eighth. Jenna Lilley led off the bottom of the inning with a single, advanced to third on a bunt single and an error, then scored on a walk-off sacrifice fly by Janelle Lindvall.
The first game Saturday also ended in walk-off fashion, though under much different circumstances. With the Ducks leading 9-2 in support of Hawkins' pitching, Udria walked to lead off the bottom of the fifth, took second on a bunt and scored on a double by Lilley to give Oregon the run-rule win.
Who Stood Out: Hawkins earned both wins on the day, though she battled control in the opener, hitting two batters and walking another. At least as encouraging was the support from the rest of the staff, as Geri Ann Glasco, Karissa Hovinga and Jasmine Smithson-Willett kept the score close enough for the Ducks to stage a comback in the second game. Glasco started and allowed one run in four innings, and Hovinga pitched two scoreless.
Udria scored four runs in the opener, and was 3-for-5 with three walks on the day. Lilley went a combined 3-for-5 with two runs, two RBIs and two walks, and Koral Costa had a three-double in the first game. Defensively the Ducks were error-free over the two games, while Louisiana committed four.
What It Means: The Ducks are looking like as complete a team as they have all season. Having weathered injuries to Takeda and Hailey Decker earlier in the season, the lineup is healthy for the first time in weeks. And the pitching of Glasco, Hovinga and Smithson-Willett, against a team that led the nation in home runs per game entering this week, lessens the burden on Hawkins to provide a shut-down effort every time out.
Quotable:
Nikki Udria, sophomore shortstop
On which of Saturday's two performances was more enjoyable
"We came out a little flat the second game; there wasn't as much energy. But this one was way more exciting to play. Obviously we turned up in the seventh and eighth inning. It was fun. It was a little taste of the postseason, so it's really fun to play big games like that."
Mike White, UO coach
On rallying to win Saturday's nightcap
"The first two games we were so focused. I thought we had really good intensity, and that's what you want to see. We played it up as a Super Regional, and maybe we let down a little bit that last game. But then as it got towards the end, we picked it back up. We know we can't let off the accelerator. We need to make sure we play seven innings strong."
Odds and Ends: The Ducks improved to 14-5 vs. ranked teams this season with the three victories over Lousiana. … Hawkins was the winning pitcher in all three games. … The Ducks and Ragin' Cajuns (34-8) endured a 56-minute rain delay in the fourth inning of Saturday's second game.
Up Next: The Ducks resume conference play when they host No. 20 California for the start of a three-game series Friday (5 p.m., Pac-12 Networks).
