Ducks Bash Dawgs 8-0 In Perfect Game By Cheridan Hawkins

Friday, March 27

Howe Field

3:00 PM

University of Oregon

29-3, 7-0

#19 Washington

30-8, 2-4

Washington

Oregon

Photo by: GoDucks.com

Ducks Bash Dawgs 8-0 In Perfect Game By Cheridan Hawkins

03/28/15 | Softball

Box Score

By: GoDucks.com

by Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com

EUGENE, Ore. — There was good news and bad news Friday afternoon for UO ace Cheridan Hawkins, though the bad news wasn't all that bad, and the good news was phenomenal. The junior left-hander threw her first career perfect game in an 8-0, five-inning shutout of No. 19 Washington at Howe Field, more than making up for a gaffe during a home run celebration that cost the No. 2 Ducks a run.

How It Happened: Koral Costa's three-run homer capped a five-run first inning for the Ducks (29-3, 7-0 Pac-12), and Hailey Decker ended the game with a walk-off, two-run blast in the fifth. Hawkins, meanwhile, shut the Huskies down in order all five innings, striking out three along the way in a 56-pitch effort.

The Ducks also scored in the fourth when, with one on and one out, Nikki Udria deposited a ball over the center-field fence. In one of the more unique scoring decisions in Howe Field history, Udria was ruled out before crossing home because Hawkins — leading the charge of Ducks to greet Udria at home plate — crossed into fair territory too early. Hawkins steadied herself to retire the side in order in the fifth, however, and was able to laugh about the play afterward.

Quotable:
Cheridan Hawkins, junior pitcher
On what she'll most remember from the wild afternoon
"Probably running across home plate and ruining my roommate's first home run (laughs). Obviously I'm happy to throw a perfect game, but yeah, that's my roommate and she hits her first home run, and I'm a ding-dong and run across home plate — jump actually. I don't know what I was thinking. But I'm happy all around. We played a great game; 8-0 win, good defense — what more can you ask for?"

Mike White, UO coach
On the controversial play
"We know the rule; they come out and tell us all the time. I don't think the players really understood what happened. Now we definitely know and we're going to stay behind, even though it's a crazy rule. It is what it is."

On Oregon's aggressive approach at the plate
"We've been seeing the ball pretty well the last few weeks, and hopefully that continues. I've said that we struggled when our four-five-six were not hitting, but right now everybody's picking up that slack. It's good. It's fun."

Fun Fact: Hawkins' perfect game was the first by a UO pitcher since Jess Moore dominated No. 17 Arizona over five innings on April 14, 2013. The day before, Hawkins had thrown her first of what is now five career no-hitters.

Odds and Ends: Oregon has now won 13 straight. …. Five of the Ducks' six home games have ended early due to the run rule. … Hawkins lowered her ERA on the season to 0.30.

Up Next: The Ducks and Huskies meet again Saturday at Howe Field (2 p.m., Pac-12 Networks).