Chambers Twins Power Ducks to 4-1 Win in Opener Over Irish

Friday, February 12

Tempe, Ariz.

10:30 AM

University of Oregon

1-0

Notre Dame

1-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Notre Dame	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	3	0
Oregon	0	0	0	1	3	0	X	4	6	1

Kelsey & Lindsey Chambers (#8 / 5), 2009 Oregon Softball Photo by Geoff Thurner,

Chambers Twins Power Ducks to 4-1 Win in Opener Over Irish

02/12/10 | Softball

Box Score

By: GoDucks.com

* A boxscore and play-by-play is located in the LINKS box to the right.

TEMPE, Ariz. – Boosted by a pair of homers by sophomore twin infielders Kelsey and Lindsey Chambers, the University of Oregon softball team opened the season Friday afternoon with a 4-1 win over Notre Dame in the Kajikawa Classic.

Duck sophomore pitcher Samantha Skillingstad held the returning NCAA regional finalists to four hits and tied her career high in strikeouts (10) – the ninth-most in school history - while walking no batters. The Irish didn't score until the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs, thanks to a double by returning All-Big East right fielder Amy Buntin.

“The offense and defense really did their part and helped us get off to a good start,” Skillingstad said. “You're always a little nervous getting started the first game of the year, but my stuff was pretty good, and we got a win against a good team.”

The Ducks got on the scoreboard first in the fourth inning when third baseman Kelsey Chambers hit a two-out, 2-2 pitch deep down to left field. The shot ultimately landed 25 feet past the fence just inside the foul line and marked the sixth of her career.

Twin sister Lindsey followed suit with one out in the fifth inning when her shot off a 2-2 pitch cleared the left center field wall. Two batters later with two outs, freshman Samantha Pappas reached via a hit by pitch, stole second base, then scored on a double by freshman second baseman Kaylan Howard to left field. Senior centerfielder Neena Bryant followed with an RBI single to score the Ducks' third and final run of the inning.

Oregon's other hit came from freshman left fielder Allie Burger in the third inning, a bunt single, while Kelsey Chambers and Bryant also reached via walks.

The Chambers twins also had opportunities for more runs with shots to the warning track in other at-bats, as did Howard in her first collegiate at-bat.

For the Irish who received votes in both preseason polls, two other batters besides Buntin had hits – shortstop Katie Fleury and second baseman Erin Marrone.

Notre Dame starting pitcher and freshman Jackie Bowe pitched the first 4.2 innings, struck out two and walked one and was charged with all four runs which were earned. She was relieved after Bryant's RBI single in the fifth inning, and Kasey O'Donnell pitched the final 1.1 innings, and walked one and struck out none.

Friday also marked the head coaching debut of Mike White who was tabbed as the top Duck last summer. He became the fifth Oregon head coach to win his Duck coaching debut, and joined Kathy Arendsen (13-0, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, 2003), Tami Brown (13-0, Loyola Marymount, 1990), P.J. Harlin (14-1, Linfield, 1983) and Charles Sylvester (1-0, Portland State, 1982). White coincidentally served as a pitching coach and assistant for that 2003 season-opening win for the previous Duck head coach Arendsen.

Looking ahead, UO (1-0) plays it second and final game of the day on the same field vs. Creighton who was beaten earlier Friday by Notre Dame, 11-3.

LINESCORE
Oregon 4, Notre Dame 1 (Feb 12, 2010 at Tempe, Ariz.)
Notre Dame.......... 000 000 1 - 1 4 0 (1-1)
Oregon.............. 000 130 X - 4 6 0 (1-0)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Notre Dame - BOWE; O'DONNELL(5) and WRIGHT. Oregon - Skillingstad, Sam and
Kivett, Ashley.
Win-Skillingstad, Sam(1-0) Loss-BOWE(0-1) T-1:30 A-200
HR ORE - Chambers, Kelsey; Chambers, L.
Weather: 65, sunny, wind 0-3 mph

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