Softball Ready For Riveting Civil War Rematch
COMING UP
Civil War brought to you by Northwest Dodge
Oregon (29-9, 3-1) heads up the road to Corvallis to continue Pac-10 play. The Ducks will take on in-state rival and Pac-10 foe Oregon State (32-11, 1-3) at 2 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday. Saturday’s game will be broadcast on KCSR AM 1230 by Ray Martin.
PAC-10 PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Junior pitcher Ani Nyhus earned Pac-10 pitcher of the week honors for her stellar showing last week. Nyhus was 3-1 last week, tossing two one-hitters. On Wednesday, Nyhus gave up just one hit to Portland State’s leadoff batter and then retired 20 consecutive batters to face the mininum number of batters, thanks to a double play. Nyhus then defeated No. 3 California, 4-0, allowing just four hits and striking out eight. On Saturday, Nyhus picked up her third consecutive shutout and third of the week in a 1-0 win over No. 11 Stanford. Nyhus allowed just one hit ? the second batter of the game ? and then retired 19 consecutive batters to face the minimum number of batters (thanks to a runner being picked off stealing) and did not allow another runner to reach base. Prior to allowing three runs to score in the third inning Sunday, Nyhus threw 35.2 consecutive scoreless innings, including 25.2 scorelss innings last week. She struck out 33 batters and had a 0.28 ERA, She walked just two batters in 25.2 innings pitched last week.
RECAPPING LAST WEEK
Oregon swept a doubleheader vs. Portland State (5-4, 2-0) before shutting out then-No. 3 California, 4-0, and then-No. 11 Stanford, 1-0. The Ducks opened conference play 3-0 for the first time since 1989 before dropping a 6-1 decision to Stanford Sunday. Nyhus gave up four hits and struck out nine vs. the Bears while Jenn Poore hit her sixth home run of the season. Second baseman Erin Goodell was 2-for-2 with a run scored in the game. In the 1-0 win over the Cardinal, freshman Kristi Leiter hit her second home run of the season to lift the Ducks to victory. On Sunday, Julie Jaime drove in Oregon’s lone run of the game, scoring Ann Marie Topps, who doubled to lead off the seventh inning.
THE LAST TIME VS. OREGON STATE
It was just two weeks ago that the two teams met at Howe Field in a wet and wild game. Oregon State jumped out to an 8-3 lead heading into the seventh inning before the Ducks scored six runs in the final inning to win, 9-8. Sophomore Breanne Sabol started the seventh-inning rally with a single and capped the inning with a two-out, two-RBI single that scored Ann Marie Topps and Suzie Barnes for the winning runs. Junior pitcher Ani Nyhus pitched 4.2 scoreless innings, striking out six to secure the win.
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.AT OREGON STATE LAST SEASON
The Ducks defeated Oregon State, 10-2, in their conference opener at Oregon State last season. Second baseman Erin Goodell hit two home runs in the game and was later named Pac-10 player of the week while Beth Boskovich finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a double and an RBI. Pitcher Amy Harris struck out five and walked none to pick up the win.
A LOOK AT OREGON STATE
The Beavers defeated California 4-2 in Berekely last week to pick up their first win at Cal since 2000. Pitcher Monica Hoffman has 16 wins this season, four to top-10 teams. Oregon State is 5-1 against the Ducks in Corvallis since 2000 and will look to extend that record this week.
OREGON VS. OREGON STATE UNDER HEAD COACH KATHY ARENDSEN
Since arriving at Oregon, head coach Kathy Arendsen has led the Ducks to a 3-1 record vs. the Beavers, including two close wins by just one run. Last season, in two wins vs. Oregon State, the Ducks had 17 hits and 12 runs scored.
