Ducks Blank Arizona, Win 7-0

Saturday, April 30

Eugene, OR

5:00 PM

University of Oregon

37-6, 15-2

#17 Arizona

32-16, 9-8

Arizona

Oregon

Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

05/01/16 | Softball

Box Score

By: GoDucks.com

EUGENE, Ore. - Behind three homers and a shutout from pitcher Megan Kleist, the No. 5 ranked Oregon softball team defeated No. 17 Arizona, 7-0, on Saturday night in front of a sellout-crowd of 2,517 at Jane Sanders Stadium.

The Ducks (37-6, 15-2 Pac-12) clinched a series win over Arizona for the sixth straight season and posted back-to-back shutouts against a league opponent for the first time since blanking then-No. 5 Washington consecutively in 2014.

Nikki Udria homered twice to give her a team-high 14 home runs on the season while Hailey Decker hit her sixth in the sixth inning to put the game away.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Udria put the Ducks ahead early with a solo homer in the first inning. The junior battled against Arizona pitcher Taylor McQuillin and on the 10th pitch of the at-bat, lined a homer down the right field line.

Oregon added another run in the third on a sacrifice fly from Jenna Lilley. That was the only run in the game the Ducks scored that wasn't via the long ball.

After a great defensive play by Lilley in the fourth helped strand an Arizona leadoff double, Udria broke the game open with a three-run homer, her second of the game, in the fifth inning. This time Udria smashed the seventh pitch of the at-bat to the scoreboard in right.

Decker put the game away in the sixth when she smashed a two-run blast to left center.

As the Oregon offense used the long ball to take the lead, Kleist used ground ball after ground ball to keep Arizona off the scoreboard for her fourth career shutout. She finished with two strikeouts, no walks and five hits allowed, needing just 81 pitches in a complete game.

The Ducks' defense made three fantastic plays in the infield and also turned two double plays to back the freshman pitcher.

HOME RUN HITTERS: The Ducks entered the weekend series against Arizona ranked second in the NCAA, averaging 1.71 home runs per game. Oregon has hit four homers so far in two games against the Wildcats.

RECORD WATCH: Janelle Lindvall remains tied with Kailee Cuico for the Oregon career RBIs record with 180...Going into Sunday's game, Cheridan Hawkins is tied for the UO career shutouts record with 31 and has 99 wins, one back of Jessica Moore's record of 100.

UP NEXT: The Ducks will go for the sweep of No. 17 Arizona on Sunday in an ESPN2 televised game starting at noon. Oregon swept the Wildcats for the first and only time in 2013.

EUGENE MARATHON: The Eugene Marathon is Sunday morning and 19th street, one block away from Jane Sanders Stadium, will be closed for the event. Please take a look at the COURSE MAP (PDF) and take extra time to get to the stadium.