University of Oregon
5-2
#7 Louisiana-Lafayette
6-0
No. 6 Ducks Earn Split vs. No. 7 ULL
02/20/16 | Softball
LAFAYETTE, La. – Oregon and host Louisiana split Friday's doubleheader matchup of top 10 teams with the No. 7 Cajuns taking the opener, 3-2, and the sixth-ranked Ducks prevailing in the nightcap, 6-3, at Lamson Park.
HOW IT HAPPENED: Each team did all of its offensive damage in a single frame in Game 1, with Louisiana plating three runs in the fourth and Oregon scoring both if its runs in the fifth. Kara Gremillion had the big hit for the Cajuns, knocking home a pair with a double before scoring ULL's final run on a Haley Hayden base hit to right off Ducks' righthander Megan Kleist (3-1). Kleist's counterpart in the circle, righty Alex Stewart (4-0), scattered 10 hits in a complete-game effort, striking out five.
In Game 2, Oregon wasted little time getting over a disappointing loss by scoring twice in the first, helped in part by Hailey Decker's popup double that landed just behind second base. That hit scored Alyssa Gillespie, who led off the inning with a bunt single, and the Ducks never looked back. UO would eventually build a 6-0 lead on the strength of homers from Janelle Lindvall and Koral Costa, and senior southpaw Cheridan Hawkins (3-1) did the rest, taking a two-hit shutout into the seventh before the Cajuns mounted a brief rally to cut the score in half.
WHAT IT MEANS: In what will likely be one of the best non-conference series in the NCAA this season, both teams showed why they are ranked among the best in the land. Friday's split sets up a rubber match in Saturday's finale of this three-game series.
IN THE ZONE: Each team issued just one base on balls over the two games. Hawkins bounced back from some control issues last weekend to toss a nine-strikeout, zero-walks performance.
ON DECK: Decker led the Ducks with five hits on the day (5-for-7).
BOOOOOOOM: Janelle Lindvall's homerun was her first of the season and 34th of her career, putting her eighth on UO's career-list by herself. Costa went deep for the second time this year and has tied Kathy Stahl (1993-96) for 10th on the career list with 31.a
UP NEXT: The Ducks and Cajuns play at 11 a.m. PT, followed by Oregon vs. Central Arkansas at 2:30 p.m. PT at Lamson Park.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Stewart (4-0)
L: Kleist, Megan (3-1)
Batting:
2B: Gremillion 1
RBI: Hayden 1 ; Gremillion 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Sanders 1 ; Smith,K 1 ; Gremillion 1
HBP: Corbello 1
Batting:
2B: Gillespie, Alyssa 1
RBI: Gillespie, Alyssa 1 ; Udria, Nikki 1
SF: Udria, Nikki 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mercado, Danica 1 ; Puentes, Sammie 1
