Bryant's Blast Gives No. 19 Ducks 2-1 Win Over No. 3 'Cats in 11th

Saturday, May 8

Eugene, Ore.

1:00 PM

University of Oregon

33-15, 8-9

Arizona

41-9, 11-6

Arizona

Oregon

Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

Bryant's Blast Gives No. 19 Ducks 2-1 Win Over No. 3 'Cats in 11th

05/08/10 | Softball

Box Score

By: GoDucks.com

* A boxscore and play-by-play is located in the LINKS box to the right, updated season/career stats are available via the link above, and a more detailed recap will be posted shortly.

EUGENE - The Senior Day celebration for the No. 19 University of Oregon softball team (33-15, 8-9) started a day early as senior centerfielder Neena Bryant launched a two-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning for a 2-1 win over No. 3 Arizona (41-9, 11-6).

The Ducks staked their third win in their last four meetings in Eugene against the eight-time national champions Saturday in a dual between two of the nation's top freshman pitchers.

En route to the win, Oregon's Jessica Moore (14-9) struck out 13 batters – the fourth-most in school history - in her 11th complete game of the season. She also set a new school record for strikeouts in a season (214) and passed two of head coach Mike White's former pupils, Amy Harris (second, 203, 2005) and Ani Nyhus (third, 202, 2004).

Altogether the Sutter, Calif., native scattered nine hits, walked four, and held the nation's highest scoring offense without a run until a home run by designated player Lini Koria barely cleared the left field fence in the top of the 11th inning.

Her pitching counterpart, UA's Kenzie Fowler (30-6) also worked 10 scoreless innings, before Oregon senior designated player Blair Williams started the 11th inning rally with a single to right center field. After a failed sacrifice bunt led to the first out, Bryant sent her sixth homer of the season over the left field wall off an 0-1 pitch.

“As soon as I hit it I knew it was gone,” Bryant said. “I felt like I had good at-bats all day, but that last swing was the most comfortable. The lead-off single was key and gave us an extra spark to come back and at least try and tie it up. I'm so proud of my teammates for fighting the whole way and never giving up.”

The shot by the Placentia, Calif., native was her sixth round-tripper of the season (and team-best fifth in Pac-10 play) and moved her up Duck all-time career categories in home runs (second, 34), RBI (second, 141) and hits (sixth, 208).

Until then, Fowler had held Duck hitters in check and allowed only one hit in the first nine innings – a lined single down the left field line by Moore (and only her second hit in 11 at-bats since February).

For the game, the Tucson, Ariz., native struck out 10, walked three, allowed four hits, and both runs allowed were earned.

Moore showed her fortitude against a UA lineup that entered the weekend averaging a national-best 7.75 runs a game, and stood fourth nationally in slugging (.591), home runs (1.79 per game) and batting (.333). Wildcat batters reached based in every inning except two, and 11 were stranded overall - including two in the first and fifth innings; and one in the second, third, fourth, sixth, seventh, 10th and 11th innings.

At game's end, six Arizona batters hit safely – and three had two hits, Brittany Lastrapes (2-for-5), Koria 92-for-5, home, 1 RBI) and Karissa Buchanan (2-for-5).

Oregon's other hit Saturday came from freshman second baseman Kaylan Howard who drilled a single to center field with two outs in the 10th inning. She advanced to second base when Moore walked on four straight balls, but a fly-out to center field ended the inning.

The Ducks threatened to score in the third inning when after Moore's single opened the inning, a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second base. A one-out walk to Williamson put another runner on first base, but was followed by a strikeout and a soft liner by Bryant nabbed by the shortstop on the edge of the left field grass.

Looking ahead, the two teams return to action for Sunday's 11 a.m. series finale that will be preceded by a Senior Day recognition ceremony for the Ducks' five-member senior class as Hannah Barril, Shelley Deadmond and Carlyn Re who will also make their final appearances at Howe Field.

Duck fans should note that Sunday's 11 a.m. start time is an hour earlier than originally scheduled, and the ticket office is offering a Mother's Day free admission promotion to all mothers.

LINESCORE

#19 Oregon 2, #3 Arizona 1 (May 08, 2010 at Eugene, Ore.)
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Arizona............. 000 000 000 01 - 1 9 0 (41-9, 11-6 Pac-10)
Oregon.............. 000 000 000 02 - 2 4 0 (33-15, 8-9 Pac-10)
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Pitchers: Arizona - Fowler, Kenzie and Chambers, Stacie. Oregon - Moore, Jessica and Kivett, Ashley. Win-Moore, Jessica(14-9) Loss-Fowler, Kenzie(30-6) T-2:45 A-571. HR ARIZ - Koria, Lini (14). HR ORE - Bryant, Neena (7). Weather: 60, sunny, wind 2-5 mph.

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