Pac-10 Opener Highlights Five-Game Homestand For No. 16 Softball
COMING UP
The homestand continues, including Pac-10 opener vs. Oregon State
After spending six consecutive weeks on the road, the University of Oregon softball team (21-7) will play five home games this week beginning with a 3 p.m. meeting vs. Kansas Tuesday and concluding with Utah State in a doubleheader Saturday. On Friday, Oregon opens the Pac-10 season vs. in-state rival Oregon State. The Ducks' game vs. Kansas Wednesday has been switched from 3 p.m. to 11 a.m.
RECENTLY
The Ducks were plagued by errors in a doubleheader vs. Missouri on Sunday, committing a season-high four in an 8-0 loss in the first game. Oregon matched that total with four in the second game, but managed to win 4-3 in nine innings. With Oregon trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Beth Boskovich walked with two outs. Freshman Kayleen Hudson then drove in Boskovich to tie the game, 3-3. In the bottom of the ninth, it was the same scenario as Boskovich walked with two outs and Hudson drove her in with a single up the middle to secure the 4-3 victory. Junior Ashley Richards hit her seventh home run of the season in the game, while Anissa Meashintubby pitched four hitless innings to improve to 8-1 on the year.
HEAD COACH KATHY ARENDSEN
Now a member of eight different Halls of Fame, second-year head coach Kathy Arendsen brought her success as both a player and a coach straight to Oregon when she led the Ducks to a 10-11 (T3) Pac-10 record in her first season, which is Oregon’s highest finish since the 1990 season. The Zealand, Mich., native returned the Ducks to the NCAA Regionals for the first time since 2000 and the team went 5-2, falling one game short of a trip to the Women’s College World Series. Her presence at Oregon was felt immediately as Oregon knocked off four ranked opponents in the preseason and was 16-13 vs. top-25 foes despite being picked to finish last in the Pac-10 Conference. Along the way, senior Andrea Vidlund earned third-team all-america honors and three players earned Pac-10 player of the week honors. Arendsen was inducted into the Michigan Hall of Fame and is the only American in the class of 19 who will be inducted into the International Softball Federation Hall of Fame on Nov. 11, 2004.
ASSISTANT COACHES J. GAUDREAU AND MIKE WHITE
Gaudreau is entering her 11th season as Arendsen’s top assistant. In her first season with the Ducks, Oregon’s improved offense was evident as the Ducks owned the top five spots in hits at the NCAA Regional, had the highest individual batting average, second-highest team hitting percentage, scored more runs than any other team and had the highest individual home run output at the tournament (4 by Andrea Vidlund). The Ducks hit 43 home runs to their opponents 35 and held the advantage in average, hits, runs scored, RBI and slugging percentage over their 2003 opponents. In his first season with the Ducks, White helped guide a young pitching staff to great success as freshman Amy Harris finished the season with the single-season strikeout record (180) and junior Anissa Meashintubby picked up her first two career Pac-10 wins in back-to-back games. And senior Andrea Vidlund, who did not pitch a single game in 2002, came back last season to lead the nation in saves (11). Oregon’s team ERA improved from 3.01 in 2002 to 2.12 ? its lowest ERA since 1994 ? in White’s first season and the Ducks had 347 strikeouts last season compared to 223 in 2002. As a player, White has won five ASA national titles and five ISC World Club Championships while being selected to nine ASA All-American and nine ISC All-World teams. He was the 2002 ASA male player of the year in men’s fastpitch.
A LOOK AT KANSAS The Jayhawks enter Tuesday and Wednesday’s games having dropped both games of a doubleheader (7-0; 5-2) at Oregon State Sunday. Prior to that, Kansas had won three straight, including a sweep of Portland State (1-0; 5-3) on Saturday. Pitcher Kara Perce is 3-1 in her last four appearances and is 11-5 this season with a 1.88 ERA. Offensively, Serena Settlemier has a team-high 22 home runs on the season to go along with 17 RBI. A LOOK AT OREGON STATE The Beavers swept a doubleheader (11-0; 3-1) with Missouri on Monday and have won five straight, inclduing a 3-2 win over then-No. 1 UCLA. Heading into the doubleheader vs. Missouri, Vanessa Iapala was hitting .343 with five home runs and 26 RBI while pitcher Monica Hoffman boasted a 0.62 ERA and 149 strikeouts. A LOOK AT UTAH STATE
The Aggies have struggled so far this season, entering the game with a 3-18 overall record, including a string of four consecutive losses. Utah State’s last victory was a 2-1 upset over an Iowa team that was receiving votes in both polls. Utah State’s other two wins both came against St. Mary’s. Offensively, Vance Haven is hitting .442 and has accounted for the Aggies’ only home run of the season to go along with four doubles. Collectively, Utah State pitchers have an 8.23 ERA on the season.
