Photo by: Samuel Marshall
Ducks Head to Utah For Final Regular Season Road Trip
05/01/19 | Softball
EUGENE, Ore. - The Oregon softball team will make its final regular season road trip this week as the Ducks head to Salt Lake City for a three-game conference series against Utah.
The Ducks (21-25, 4-14 Pac-12) are looking to bounce back from a tough weekend at home as they aim for a strong finish over the final six games in hopes of earning an NCAA Tournament berth. Oregon will open the series against Utah at 5 p.m. PT on Friday, with game two scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday and the series finale set for 12 p.m. on Sunday.
HOW TO FOLLOW
All three games this weekned will be broadcast live on Pac-12 Networks, with Troy Clardy and Barb Jordan calling the action. Matt Tyra and KWVA Radio will have the radio call at 88.1 FM and kwva.uoregon.edu/listen-live, and live stats will be available at Oregon.Statbroadcast.com.
ABOUT UTAH
Utah (15-32, 4-14 Pac-12) is coming off a road sweep at the hands of No. 2 UCLA, but picked up a big 5-4 win over No. 3 Washington the previous weekend. The Utes own a .268 team batting average and a 6.82 ERA, and are led by three players hitting better than .330. Alyssa Barrera leads the way at .368, and she is No. 1 in the Pac-12 with six triples this season. The Ducks have won six straight over Utah and lead the all-time series, 30-10.
OREGON ON HUNT FOR THE POSTSEASON
Oregon enters the Utah series at 21-25 overall, needing to go at least 5-1 over the final two weekends to reach .500 and become eligible for the NCAA Tournament. If the Ducks can get themselves eligible, they will have a strong case for an at-large bid with the nation's No. 7 strength of schedule and a No. 42 RPI ranking. Oregon has had to navigate a loaded schedule this season, playing 32 of its first 38 games on the road and 18 against teams in the NFCA top 25. The Ducks capped a 6-0 start to the season with a big win over then-No. 8 LSU on Feb. 15, and handed then-No. 1 UCLA its first Pac-12 loss on April 12 in Los Angeles. The Ducks played 11 games against ranked teams during their 12-game slide from Feb. 28 to March 25.
DUCKS LOOKING TO BOUNCE BACK FROM CIVIL WAR
The Ducks didn't have the series they wanted last weekend against Oregon State, dropping all three games and making their postseason quest more challenging. Oregon got off to a slow start in the opener, losing 8-0, and was unable to overcome missed early opportunities and defensive miscues in an 8-6 game two loss despite a late comeback attempt. The Ducks rallied to take the lead three times in the series finale, but errors again haunted them early on and OSU scored the final five runs to win a back-and-forth slugfest, 12-8, and sweep the series.
CRUSE'S FRANTIC DASH CAPS SWEEP OF PSU
The Ducks used an epic six-run fifth inning to erase an 8-2 deficit and complete a 9-8 comeback win on Tuesday and sweep Portland State in a doubleheader at The Jane. JR OF Haley Cruse capped the six-run inning with a thrilling three-run inside-the-park home run, flying around the base paths to give Oregon the lead after the Ducks already pushed three across on an RBI single by FR IF Rachel Cid and a two-run homer by SR OF Cherish Burks. SO UT Shaye Bowden homered in both games, including a three-run bomb in the first game to lead Oregon to a 5-3 win.
WORKHORSE DAIL CARRYING DUCKS IN 2019
SO LHP Jordan Dail has been an absolute workhorse so far in 2019 for the Ducks after transferring to Oregon from Virginia Tech. Dail (17-13, 3.83 ERA) leads the Pac-12 and is top-10 nationally with a career-high 213.2 innings pitched, 53.2 more than any other pitcher in the Pac-12 and two away from cracking the UO single-season top-10 list. Dail has racked up strikeouts at an impressive rate, ranking second in the Pac-12 and 14th in the NCAA with a career-high 217, currently No. 9 on the UO single-season list. The Forest, Va., native has thrown 19 complete games and five shutouts, including two seven-inning no-hitters. Dail also leads the Pac-12 in games started (33) and appearances (39), and she is tied for fourth with 17 wins.
DOUBLES MACHINE SIEVERS KEEPS ON HITTING
FR IF Jasmine Sievers has been terrific for the Ducks in her rookie campaign, leading the team in slugging percentage (.574), OPS (.974), doubles (14) and extra-base hits (19). The freshman is currently second in batting average at .344, but has been the Ducks' leading hitter for much of the season. Sievers is batting .373 with nine doubles and two home runs over the last 19 games, including a 4-for-4 game against reigning national player of the year Rachel Garcia and No. 1 UCLA on April 13, and she has hit .377 with eighth doubles and three of her four home runs during conference play. Sievers is fifth in the Pac-12 with 14 doubles, currently tied for seventh in UO single-season history and just four shy of the program record.
BUNKER OFFICIALLY RED HOT AT THE PLATE
FR IF Allee Bunker has been scorching hot at the plate over the last month-plus, hitting safely in 16 of the last 18 games while batting a team-high .433 (26-for-60) with a .452 on-base percentage during that span. The Huntington Beach, Calif., native is third on the team in hitting (.340) and first with 15 multi-hit games, including six in the last 10 contests. Oregon's second baseman has been terrific in conference play, hitting .373 with two doubles, a triple and a grand slam. Bunker has been a true contact hitter all season long, striking out just nine times in a team-high 147 at-bats.
CRUSE SETTING THE TABLE IN LEADOFF SPOT
HC Melyssa Lombardi moved JR OF Haley Cruse back to the leadoff spot prior to the Stanford series (March 29-31), and the junior has been terrific since. In the 18 games since moving back to the top of the order, Cruse is batting .417 (25-for-60) with a .478 on-base percentage, two home runs and 14 runs scored. On the season, Cruse leads the team in hitting (.350) while ranking fourth in the Pac-12 in walks (29) and 10th in OBP (.464). Cruse has also been dynamic on the base paths, ranking sixth in the conference with a career-high 13 stolen bases. The junior is batting a team-high .382 so far in Pac-12 play after leading the league last season with a .426 batting average in conference games.
SUPER UTILITY BOWDEN HEATING UP AT THE DISH
SO UT Shaye Bowden has been one of Oregon's most valuable players this season, producing from the middle of the order while shining in a super utility role on defense. Bowden leads the team with 31 RBIs while hitting .318 with six home runs and nine doubles, and she is batting .407 with three home runs and eight RBIs over the last nine games. Defensively, Bowden leads the Pac-12 with 13 runners caught stealing in 35 games behind the plate, and she has also spent time at first base, second base, third base and right field.
UTECHT PROVIDING CLUTCH POWER, PATIENCE
SR C/1B April Utecht has given the Ducks a big power threat in the middle of their lineup, and she has shown a knack for coming through in the clutch. Utecht blasted a huge two-run homer with two outs in Oregon's 4-3 win at No. 1 UCLA on April 12, giving UO a lead it would not relinquish. Of Utecht's team-high nine home runs this season, four have been go-ahead blasts against, in order, No. 8 LSU, No. 3 Florida, No. 7 Washington and No. 1 UCLA. Utecht has also shown tremendous patience at the plate, ranking second in the Pac-12 with a team-high 32 walks, currently tied for eighth in UO single-season history.
CRUSE, CID EPITOMIZE TEAM-FIRST MENTALITY
JR OF Haley Cruse (CF) and FR IF Rachel Cid (3B) are the only Ducks to start all 46 games this season at the same position, but they have also both gone way out of their comfort zones to help Oregon's thin pitching staff. Cid has made four appearances in the circle while Cruse has made two, with both throwing in Tuesday's nightcap against Portland State. The two will continue to provide dept for ace Jordan Dail along with FR RHP Kailey Krueger, a walk-on who earned her first collegiate win Tuesday with a perfect fifth inning of relief.
YOUNG DUCKS FLASHING THE LEATHER
Oregon's defense, which has often been comprised of mostly underclassmen, has been very solid so far this season. The Ducks are fourth in the Pac-12 and 43rd nationally in fielding percentage (.969), committing only 36 errors as a team. Oregon also leads the conference in runners caught stealing (15), led by SO UT Shaye Bowden's Pac-12-best 13 from behind the plate.
FRESHMEN SHOULDERING HEAVY LOAD
The Ducks have relied heavily on freshmen early on in 2019 . IF Allee Bunker (2B), and IF Rachel Cid (3B) have both started all 46 games for Oregon, IF Jasmine Sievers has started 42 straight games at shortstop and FR OF Lexi Wagner and FR UT Hannah Galey have made 37 and 35 starts, respectively. FR C Annalisa Williamson has also started 15 games, and FR IF Katelyn Howard has made five starts.
UP NEXT
Oregon will close the regular season with a three-game home series against Arizona State.
The Ducks (21-25, 4-14 Pac-12) are looking to bounce back from a tough weekend at home as they aim for a strong finish over the final six games in hopes of earning an NCAA Tournament berth. Oregon will open the series against Utah at 5 p.m. PT on Friday, with game two scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday and the series finale set for 12 p.m. on Sunday.
HOW TO FOLLOW
All three games this weekned will be broadcast live on Pac-12 Networks, with Troy Clardy and Barb Jordan calling the action. Matt Tyra and KWVA Radio will have the radio call at 88.1 FM and kwva.uoregon.edu/listen-live, and live stats will be available at Oregon.Statbroadcast.com.
ABOUT UTAH
Utah (15-32, 4-14 Pac-12) is coming off a road sweep at the hands of No. 2 UCLA, but picked up a big 5-4 win over No. 3 Washington the previous weekend. The Utes own a .268 team batting average and a 6.82 ERA, and are led by three players hitting better than .330. Alyssa Barrera leads the way at .368, and she is No. 1 in the Pac-12 with six triples this season. The Ducks have won six straight over Utah and lead the all-time series, 30-10.
OREGON ON HUNT FOR THE POSTSEASON
Oregon enters the Utah series at 21-25 overall, needing to go at least 5-1 over the final two weekends to reach .500 and become eligible for the NCAA Tournament. If the Ducks can get themselves eligible, they will have a strong case for an at-large bid with the nation's No. 7 strength of schedule and a No. 42 RPI ranking. Oregon has had to navigate a loaded schedule this season, playing 32 of its first 38 games on the road and 18 against teams in the NFCA top 25. The Ducks capped a 6-0 start to the season with a big win over then-No. 8 LSU on Feb. 15, and handed then-No. 1 UCLA its first Pac-12 loss on April 12 in Los Angeles. The Ducks played 11 games against ranked teams during their 12-game slide from Feb. 28 to March 25.
DUCKS LOOKING TO BOUNCE BACK FROM CIVIL WAR
The Ducks didn't have the series they wanted last weekend against Oregon State, dropping all three games and making their postseason quest more challenging. Oregon got off to a slow start in the opener, losing 8-0, and was unable to overcome missed early opportunities and defensive miscues in an 8-6 game two loss despite a late comeback attempt. The Ducks rallied to take the lead three times in the series finale, but errors again haunted them early on and OSU scored the final five runs to win a back-and-forth slugfest, 12-8, and sweep the series.
CRUSE'S FRANTIC DASH CAPS SWEEP OF PSU
The Ducks used an epic six-run fifth inning to erase an 8-2 deficit and complete a 9-8 comeback win on Tuesday and sweep Portland State in a doubleheader at The Jane. JR OF Haley Cruse capped the six-run inning with a thrilling three-run inside-the-park home run, flying around the base paths to give Oregon the lead after the Ducks already pushed three across on an RBI single by FR IF Rachel Cid and a two-run homer by SR OF Cherish Burks. SO UT Shaye Bowden homered in both games, including a three-run bomb in the first game to lead Oregon to a 5-3 win.
WORKHORSE DAIL CARRYING DUCKS IN 2019
SO LHP Jordan Dail has been an absolute workhorse so far in 2019 for the Ducks after transferring to Oregon from Virginia Tech. Dail (17-13, 3.83 ERA) leads the Pac-12 and is top-10 nationally with a career-high 213.2 innings pitched, 53.2 more than any other pitcher in the Pac-12 and two away from cracking the UO single-season top-10 list. Dail has racked up strikeouts at an impressive rate, ranking second in the Pac-12 and 14th in the NCAA with a career-high 217, currently No. 9 on the UO single-season list. The Forest, Va., native has thrown 19 complete games and five shutouts, including two seven-inning no-hitters. Dail also leads the Pac-12 in games started (33) and appearances (39), and she is tied for fourth with 17 wins.
DOUBLES MACHINE SIEVERS KEEPS ON HITTING
FR IF Jasmine Sievers has been terrific for the Ducks in her rookie campaign, leading the team in slugging percentage (.574), OPS (.974), doubles (14) and extra-base hits (19). The freshman is currently second in batting average at .344, but has been the Ducks' leading hitter for much of the season. Sievers is batting .373 with nine doubles and two home runs over the last 19 games, including a 4-for-4 game against reigning national player of the year Rachel Garcia and No. 1 UCLA on April 13, and she has hit .377 with eighth doubles and three of her four home runs during conference play. Sievers is fifth in the Pac-12 with 14 doubles, currently tied for seventh in UO single-season history and just four shy of the program record.
BUNKER OFFICIALLY RED HOT AT THE PLATE
FR IF Allee Bunker has been scorching hot at the plate over the last month-plus, hitting safely in 16 of the last 18 games while batting a team-high .433 (26-for-60) with a .452 on-base percentage during that span. The Huntington Beach, Calif., native is third on the team in hitting (.340) and first with 15 multi-hit games, including six in the last 10 contests. Oregon's second baseman has been terrific in conference play, hitting .373 with two doubles, a triple and a grand slam. Bunker has been a true contact hitter all season long, striking out just nine times in a team-high 147 at-bats.
CRUSE SETTING THE TABLE IN LEADOFF SPOT
HC Melyssa Lombardi moved JR OF Haley Cruse back to the leadoff spot prior to the Stanford series (March 29-31), and the junior has been terrific since. In the 18 games since moving back to the top of the order, Cruse is batting .417 (25-for-60) with a .478 on-base percentage, two home runs and 14 runs scored. On the season, Cruse leads the team in hitting (.350) while ranking fourth in the Pac-12 in walks (29) and 10th in OBP (.464). Cruse has also been dynamic on the base paths, ranking sixth in the conference with a career-high 13 stolen bases. The junior is batting a team-high .382 so far in Pac-12 play after leading the league last season with a .426 batting average in conference games.
SUPER UTILITY BOWDEN HEATING UP AT THE DISH
SO UT Shaye Bowden has been one of Oregon's most valuable players this season, producing from the middle of the order while shining in a super utility role on defense. Bowden leads the team with 31 RBIs while hitting .318 with six home runs and nine doubles, and she is batting .407 with three home runs and eight RBIs over the last nine games. Defensively, Bowden leads the Pac-12 with 13 runners caught stealing in 35 games behind the plate, and she has also spent time at first base, second base, third base and right field.
UTECHT PROVIDING CLUTCH POWER, PATIENCE
SR C/1B April Utecht has given the Ducks a big power threat in the middle of their lineup, and she has shown a knack for coming through in the clutch. Utecht blasted a huge two-run homer with two outs in Oregon's 4-3 win at No. 1 UCLA on April 12, giving UO a lead it would not relinquish. Of Utecht's team-high nine home runs this season, four have been go-ahead blasts against, in order, No. 8 LSU, No. 3 Florida, No. 7 Washington and No. 1 UCLA. Utecht has also shown tremendous patience at the plate, ranking second in the Pac-12 with a team-high 32 walks, currently tied for eighth in UO single-season history.
CRUSE, CID EPITOMIZE TEAM-FIRST MENTALITY
JR OF Haley Cruse (CF) and FR IF Rachel Cid (3B) are the only Ducks to start all 46 games this season at the same position, but they have also both gone way out of their comfort zones to help Oregon's thin pitching staff. Cid has made four appearances in the circle while Cruse has made two, with both throwing in Tuesday's nightcap against Portland State. The two will continue to provide dept for ace Jordan Dail along with FR RHP Kailey Krueger, a walk-on who earned her first collegiate win Tuesday with a perfect fifth inning of relief.
YOUNG DUCKS FLASHING THE LEATHER
Oregon's defense, which has often been comprised of mostly underclassmen, has been very solid so far this season. The Ducks are fourth in the Pac-12 and 43rd nationally in fielding percentage (.969), committing only 36 errors as a team. Oregon also leads the conference in runners caught stealing (15), led by SO UT Shaye Bowden's Pac-12-best 13 from behind the plate.
FRESHMEN SHOULDERING HEAVY LOAD
The Ducks have relied heavily on freshmen early on in 2019 . IF Allee Bunker (2B), and IF Rachel Cid (3B) have both started all 46 games for Oregon, IF Jasmine Sievers has started 42 straight games at shortstop and FR OF Lexi Wagner and FR UT Hannah Galey have made 37 and 35 starts, respectively. FR C Annalisa Williamson has also started 15 games, and FR IF Katelyn Howard has made five starts.
UP NEXT
Oregon will close the regular season with a three-game home series against Arizona State.
Players Mentioned
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/ SoftballMelyssa Lombardi: "I love this group."
Tuesday, February 17
Ayanna Shaw: "We're in a better spot now."
Tuesday, February 17
Amari Harper: "Tweaking the little things."
Tuesday, February 17
Melyssa Lombardi: "Cannot wait to play our next game."
Wednesday, February 11
