OKC Notebook: Tough Nonconference Slate Paying Dividends As Ducks Enter WCWS

STILLWATER, Okla. — On Monday morning, Gwen Svekis drove with teammates Jenna Lilley, Miranda Elish and DJ Sanders to the Casanova Center, from which the UO softball team began its trip to Oklahoma for the Women's College World Series.

When the event starts Thursday — No. 1 Oregon opens against No. 8 Arizona State (9 a.m. PT, ESPN) — the Ducks won't have to deal with many unknowns. Oregon faced six of the other seven teams in the field, all but Florida, and went 10-3 in those matchups. During the drive to the Cas on Monday, Svekis and her teammates marveled at those facts.

This is the third trip Svekis and Lilley have made to the WCWS, along with senior second baseman Lauren Lindvall. But they've never been so confident in doing so.

"In the past it's felt like, 'Oh gosh, I hope we don't get X, Y or Z, because we haven't played them, we don't know what they're like,' " Svekis said. "This year it's more of, OK, I don't care who you throw at me — we have the confidence we can go out there and compete with anyone."

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As one of four Pac-12 teams in OKC, the Ducks are quite familiar with their conference brethren. Oregon took two of three from UCLA in Eugene to open conference play in mid-March, played at ASU a month later and also won two out of three, then swept Washington on the road in late April.

But the Ducks also faced three WCWS teams in nonconference play — giving credence to UO coach Mike White's decision to schedule a tough preseason slate this spring.

Oregon opened the season by beating Georgia at the Kajikawa Classic, and split two games with Florida State at the Unconquered Invitational in Tallahassee, Fla. The Ducks also faced two-time national champion Oklahoma in a midweek game amid conference play, and Megan Kleist threw a one-hit shutout as Oregon won, 5-0.

All season long, White said he'd reserve judgment about the wisdom of scheduling such a tough nonconference slate. The ultimate proof would be a national championship, but it doesn't hurt the Ducks' chances to have weathered such a rigorous gantlet on the way to OKC.

"I think it helps we've seen their pitching; of course, they've seen our pitching too," White said. "It's just a matter of how we play down there."

Oregon's pitching held up well against the other WCWS participants. In nine appearances against other teams in the field, Kleist went 6-3 with a 1.52 ERA, striking out 52 while issuing just eight walks. Sophomore Miranda Elish was 4-0 in six appearances, with a 1.99 ERA.

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Offensively, Sanders led the UO hitters against WCWS competition, hitting .368 with four home runs, three doubles and 19 RBIs. Svekis and freshman Mary Iakopo also hit four homers each, in those 13 games against teams the Ducks could see over the next week.

"This is the first year we've had confidence we can beat anyone we go up against," Svekis said.

The familiar vibes in OKC even extended to Oregon's practice facility Tuesday; for the second year in a row, the Ducks held their first on-site practice of WCWS week on the campus of Oklahoma State.

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A little over an hour northeast of Oklahoma City, the campus in Stillwater accommodated Oregon's pre-practice weightlifting followed by practice in Cowgirl Stadium.

Oregon assistant Jimmy Kolaitis helped coordinate the practices at Cowgirls Stadium through Oklahoma State coach Kenny Gajewski. Kolaitis and Gajewski both came to their present jobs after stints as assistants in the Southeast — Kolaitis at South Alabama, Gajewski at Florida — where they became friendly.

Following practice, the Ducks were scheduled to attend a WCWS welcome reception at which national award winners were announced. Then they planned to return to the team hotel for a 90-minute study hall session, during which several players would prepare for tests that will be proctored in OKC later in the week.

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Lilley learned a bit about her family tree upon the Ducks' arrival at Cowgirls Stadium for practice Tuesday.

Outside the entrance to the Oklahoma State locker room is a plaque noting prominent donors to the program. Among the names, Lilley found to her surprise, is that of Stacy Williams Lilley — a former OSU tennis player, and Lilley's aunt.

Williams Lilley and her family reside in Edmond, Okla, and Lilley said they plan to attend the World Series later this week.