Eugene Regional Primer
05/15/18 | Softball, @GoDucksMoseley
A look at the four participants in the NCAA softball regional that begins Thursday at Jane Sanders Stadium.
A look at the participants in the Eugene Regional that begins Thursday, when Drake and BYU meet at 3 p.m. in Jane Sanders Stadium, followed by Oregon and UAlbany at 5:30 p.m.:
OREGON
Head coach: Mike White, ninth season
Record: 47-7
NCAA RPI: 1
Most Recent Postseason Appearance: 2017, 2-2 at the Women's College World Series
Primary Pitchers: Jr. RH Megan Kleist (20-5, .0.96); So. RH Miranda Elish (20-1, 1.01)
Key Hitters: Sr. 3B Jenna Lilley (.360, 45 R, 11 2B); Sr. C Gwen Svekis (.331, 16 HR, 53 RBI); Jr. OF Alexis Mack (.367, 38 R, 22 SB); Sr. SS DJ Sanders (.291, 15 HR, 45 RBI)
How They Got Here: Pac-12 Conference champion. The Ducks went 21-3 in the Pac-12 to win their fifth conference title in six years; ultimately, taking two-of-three from rival UCLA in the opening series of Pac-12 play provided the one-game margin over the Bruins for the crown. Only Oregon and two-time defending NCAA champion Oklahoma enter the postseason in the top 10 nationally in both batting average and ERA; the Ducks are hitting .322, seventh nationally, and lead the country with a 1.12 ERA. Oregon is making its ninth regional appearance in nine years under Mike White, having gone 24-0 in the last eight seasons.
DRAKE
Head coach: Rich Calvert, 16th season
Record: 43-10
NCAA RPI: 33
Most Recent Postseason Appearance: 2008, 0-2 in regionals
Primary Pitchers: Jr. RH Nicole Newman (21-3, 0.62); Fr. RH Nicole Timmons (13-4, 1.97)
Key Hitters: So. SS Mandi Roemmich (.355, 12 2B, 34 R); So. 1B Sarah Maddox (.322, 4 HR, 30 RBI); Fr. OF Macy Johnson (.356, 27 BB, 21 SB)
How They Got Here: Missouri Valley Conference champion. The Bulldogs went 24-1 in conference regular-season play to earn the No. 1 seed into the MVC Tournament, then swept both games there to clinch the third trip in school history to the NCAA Tournament. Drake pitched its way into the postseason, posting a 1.19 team ERA in the regular season, trailing only the Ducks and Washington nationally. Junior Nicole Newman is second in the NCAA individually with a 0.62 ERA, and two-way standout Kailee Smith has a 1.14 ERA in 29 appearances while also tying for the team lead with five home runs. Opponents are hitting just .186 off Drake pitching, and have scored 88 runs in 53 games.
BRIGHAM YOUNG
Head coach: Gordon Eakin, 16th season
Record: 35-20
NCAA RPI: 51
Most Recent Postseason Appearance: 2017, 2-2 in regionals
Primary Pitchers: So. RH Kerisa Viramontes (19-6, 2.05); Fr. RH Autumn Moffat (8-6, 3.59)
Key Hitters: Jr. C Libby Sugg (.423, 1.240 OPS, 11 HR, 64 RBI); Jr. OF Lexi Tarrow (.346, 41 R, 15 SB); So. OF Rylee Jensen (.333, 55 R)
How They Got Here: West Coast Conference champion. The Cougars earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament by winning the WCC regular-season title with a 13-1 record. They clinched it with a doubleheader sweep of Loyola Marymount on Saturday, capped by an 8-0 shutout from freshman Autumn Moffat in the finale. BYU, which played in the Eugene Regional in 2015, brings a 10-game winning streak into the postseason. Sophomore Rylee Jensen was named the WCC Player of the Year on Tuesday. The Cougars faced five Pac-12 teams this spring, beating Stanford and Utah and losing to Oregon State, Washington and Arizona State (twice). On the season BYU is hitting .296, which ranks 43rd nationally.
ALBANY
Head coach: Chris Cannata, 24th season
Record: 32-14
NCAA RPI: 141
Most Recent Postseason Appearance: 2017, 0-2 in regionals
Primary Pitchers: Jr. RH Celeste Verdolivo (16-2, 1.73); Fr. RH Maranda Jimenez (10-4, 2.44)
Key Hitters: Sr. C Chelsea Henige (.366, 12 2B, 4 HR); Jr. OF Sarah Petzold (.291, 35 RBI, 30 R)
How They Got Here: America East Conference champion. The Great Danes entered the conference tournament as the No. 1 seed, but lost to No. 2 seed UMass Lowell on Friday. Forced to play their way back into contention, UAlbany won an elimination game later Friday. The Great Danes needed to beat UMass Lowell twice Sunday due to the earlier loss, and did so, with freshman Maranda Jimenez in the circle for the clincher. Sarah Petzold's three-run homer gave UAlbany a come-from-behind, 4-3 win in the first game, and her three-run double was the big blow in a 4-1 win for the championship.
OREGON
Head coach: Mike White, ninth season
Record: 47-7
NCAA RPI: 1
Most Recent Postseason Appearance: 2017, 2-2 at the Women's College World Series
Primary Pitchers: Jr. RH Megan Kleist (20-5, .0.96); So. RH Miranda Elish (20-1, 1.01)
Key Hitters: Sr. 3B Jenna Lilley (.360, 45 R, 11 2B); Sr. C Gwen Svekis (.331, 16 HR, 53 RBI); Jr. OF Alexis Mack (.367, 38 R, 22 SB); Sr. SS DJ Sanders (.291, 15 HR, 45 RBI)
How They Got Here: Pac-12 Conference champion. The Ducks went 21-3 in the Pac-12 to win their fifth conference title in six years; ultimately, taking two-of-three from rival UCLA in the opening series of Pac-12 play provided the one-game margin over the Bruins for the crown. Only Oregon and two-time defending NCAA champion Oklahoma enter the postseason in the top 10 nationally in both batting average and ERA; the Ducks are hitting .322, seventh nationally, and lead the country with a 1.12 ERA. Oregon is making its ninth regional appearance in nine years under Mike White, having gone 24-0 in the last eight seasons.
DRAKE
Head coach: Rich Calvert, 16th season
Record: 43-10
NCAA RPI: 33
Most Recent Postseason Appearance: 2008, 0-2 in regionals
Primary Pitchers: Jr. RH Nicole Newman (21-3, 0.62); Fr. RH Nicole Timmons (13-4, 1.97)
Key Hitters: So. SS Mandi Roemmich (.355, 12 2B, 34 R); So. 1B Sarah Maddox (.322, 4 HR, 30 RBI); Fr. OF Macy Johnson (.356, 27 BB, 21 SB)
How They Got Here: Missouri Valley Conference champion. The Bulldogs went 24-1 in conference regular-season play to earn the No. 1 seed into the MVC Tournament, then swept both games there to clinch the third trip in school history to the NCAA Tournament. Drake pitched its way into the postseason, posting a 1.19 team ERA in the regular season, trailing only the Ducks and Washington nationally. Junior Nicole Newman is second in the NCAA individually with a 0.62 ERA, and two-way standout Kailee Smith has a 1.14 ERA in 29 appearances while also tying for the team lead with five home runs. Opponents are hitting just .186 off Drake pitching, and have scored 88 runs in 53 games.
BRIGHAM YOUNG
Head coach: Gordon Eakin, 16th season
Record: 35-20
NCAA RPI: 51
Most Recent Postseason Appearance: 2017, 2-2 in regionals
Primary Pitchers: So. RH Kerisa Viramontes (19-6, 2.05); Fr. RH Autumn Moffat (8-6, 3.59)
Key Hitters: Jr. C Libby Sugg (.423, 1.240 OPS, 11 HR, 64 RBI); Jr. OF Lexi Tarrow (.346, 41 R, 15 SB); So. OF Rylee Jensen (.333, 55 R)
How They Got Here: West Coast Conference champion. The Cougars earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament by winning the WCC regular-season title with a 13-1 record. They clinched it with a doubleheader sweep of Loyola Marymount on Saturday, capped by an 8-0 shutout from freshman Autumn Moffat in the finale. BYU, which played in the Eugene Regional in 2015, brings a 10-game winning streak into the postseason. Sophomore Rylee Jensen was named the WCC Player of the Year on Tuesday. The Cougars faced five Pac-12 teams this spring, beating Stanford and Utah and losing to Oregon State, Washington and Arizona State (twice). On the season BYU is hitting .296, which ranks 43rd nationally.
ALBANY
Head coach: Chris Cannata, 24th season
Record: 32-14
NCAA RPI: 141
Most Recent Postseason Appearance: 2017, 0-2 in regionals
Primary Pitchers: Jr. RH Celeste Verdolivo (16-2, 1.73); Fr. RH Maranda Jimenez (10-4, 2.44)
Key Hitters: Sr. C Chelsea Henige (.366, 12 2B, 4 HR); Jr. OF Sarah Petzold (.291, 35 RBI, 30 R)
How They Got Here: America East Conference champion. The Great Danes entered the conference tournament as the No. 1 seed, but lost to No. 2 seed UMass Lowell on Friday. Forced to play their way back into contention, UAlbany won an elimination game later Friday. The Great Danes needed to beat UMass Lowell twice Sunday due to the earlier loss, and did so, with freshman Maranda Jimenez in the circle for the clincher. Sarah Petzold's three-run homer gave UAlbany a come-from-behind, 4-3 win in the first game, and her three-run double was the big blow in a 4-1 win for the championship.
Players Mentioned
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