Harris Named Pac-10 Pitcher Of The Week, Team Begins Busy Week Tuesday
COMING UP
Six games in five days for Oregon softball
The University of Oregon softball team will host Portland State in a non-conference game Tuesday at Howe Field (4 p.m.) in its final home appearance of the 2005 season. The Ducks then travel to California to face UC Davis (7-43 overall) in a doubleheader Thursday (1:30 p.m.; 3:30 p.m.) before returning to Pac-10 play vs. Stanford (37-11 overall, 10-5 Pac-10) on Friday and California (42-9, 9-6) on Saturday (1 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.)
RECAPPING LAST WEEK - ARIZONA, ARIZONA STATE
For the second time in as many seasons, Oregon defeated Arizona at home behind a strong pitching performance from junior Amy Harris. Harris had 10 strikeouts, no walks and allowed just three hits to guide Oregon to a 3-0 win over Wildcats. Senior Erin Goodell scored the first run of the game on a passed ball and senior catcher Ashley Richards made it 2-0 with a home run off pitcher Alicia Hollowell. It was Richards’ second career home run of the All-American as she hit the game-winning home run against Arizona in 2004. Junior shortstop Breanne Sabol drove in Suzie Barnes for the third run of the game. On Saturday, Oregon and Arizona State went 17 innings before Sun Devil third baseman Ashley Werschky hit the game-winning home run. Harris threw 14 innings in the game, allowing no earned runs and striking out nine. On Sunday, Harris threw another seven innings and led the Ducks to a 3-0 win over Arizona State. Seniors Ashley Richards and Erin Goodell drove in all three runs in the sixth inning. It was the final conference game at Howe Field for Richards, Goodell and pitchers Lindsey Kontra and Ani Nyhus.
HARRIS' STELLAR WEEKEND
Amy Harris (Eugene) threw 28 total innings over the weekend and had 28 strikeouts. She did not allow an earned run and walked just three batters. Harris was 2-0 on the weekend, winning twice by shutout. Harris now has 437 strikeouts (3rd All-time at Oregon) and is eight strikeouts shy of moving to second all-time. With the two shutouts over the weekend, Harris is now 8th all-time with eight career shutouts and moved to seventh all-time with 36 career victories.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
Portland State: The Vikings’ meeting with Oregon on Tuesday will be their final game of the season as they wrapped up Pacific Coast Softball Conference play by splitting with St. Mary’s to finish third in their conference. Laura Segall leads the team in average (.301) while Kayla Lewis provides the power with nine home runs and 28 RBI on the season. Pitcher Michelle Hext has a 1.49 ERA and 86 strikeouts.
UC Davis: The struggling Aggies have lost five consecutive games and have not won since April 24 when they defeated UC Riverside 7-3. UC Davis has won just seven games all season and are led by Stacey Benzing’s .265 batting average and Jessica Hancock’s 2.09 ERA.
Stanford: The Cardinal went 2-2 over the weekend, defeating UCLA twice while also falling to the Bruins once and Washington once. Behind Catalina Morris (.359 avg., 11 HR, 32 RBI, 11 doubles) and pitchers Lauren Nydam (1.62 ERA, 21 SO), Laura Severson (1.82 ERA, 83 SO) and Becky McCullough (16-3, 100 SO), Stanford is tied for second in the Pac-10.
California: The Bears are tied for second in the conference with rival Stanford after going 3-1 vs. UCLA and Washington last weekend. They lead the Pac-10 in ERA (1.21) led by Kristina Thorson’s league-leading 1.03 ERA. Offensively, third baseman Vicky Galindo is third in the Pac-10 with a .379 average and Haley Woods is second in the league with 52 RBI.
THE SERIES VS. PORTLAND STATE: This will be the sixth meeting between the two teams this season with Oregon holding a 4-1 advantage so far. Overall, this is the 149th meeting and Oregon owns an overall record of 93-56 vs. the Vikings. Under Oregon head coach Kathy Arendsen, the Ducks are 12-1 overall vs. Portland State.
THE SERIES VS. UC DAVIS: This will be the first meeting between Oregon and UC Davis.
THE SERIES VS. STANFORD: After dropping two games to the Cardinal earlier this season, Oregon’s overall record now stands at 25-19 vs. Stanford. The Ducks had taken the series from the Cardinal in the past two seasons (2003, 2004), but Stanford secured the series this season with 17-7 and 9-5 wins at Howe Field.
THE SERIES VS. CALIFORNIA: Oregon gave up four unearned runs in a 6-5 loss to the Bears at Howe Field earlier this season. The Bears own the overall advantage, 61-29. Last season, Oregon won in Berkeley for the first time since 2000. Oregon as won at Cal seven times in the past 10 seasons.
MOVING UP THE CAREER LIST
Amy Harris: 6th all-time in games played (104); 7th all-time in wins (36); 8th all-time in complete games (27); 8th all-time in shutouts (8); 7th all-time in innings pitched (460.2); 3rd all-time in strikeouts (437)....Harris is 37 strikeouts shy of the school record and eight shy of moving to second all-time.
Beth Boskovich: T-10th all-time with 15 home runs; 4th all-time in walks (77)...Boskovich has 82 career runs and is eight shy of breaking into the top-10...Her 23 doubles is three shy of the top-10 list.
Breanne Sabol: 11th All-time with 26 career stolen bases
ALMOST THERE
Catcher Ashley Richards has 25 career doubles and needs just one more to break the top-10.
GOODELL'S OFFENSE GETS GOING
Over the last seven games, senior second baseman Erin Goodell is hitting .304 (7-for-23) with two RBI and a run scored. She was 4-for-9 (.444) in the Ducks last two games vs. Arizona State. In six games vs. the Arizona schools this season, Goodell was 8-for-17 (.470) and she finishes her career with a .304 lifetime batting average against Arizona and Arizona State.
RICHARD'S PAC-10 FAVORITE
Senior Ashley Richards has just two home runs in Pac-10 play during her four year career. Both homers have come against Arizona All-American Alicia Hollowell at Howe Field. In 2004 it was a walk off home run in the eighth and last week, Richards hit her second career home run off Hollowell to lead the Ducks to their second victory over the Wildcats in as many seasons.
GAIL'S RETURN
Freshman infielder Joanna Gail, who went down with a dislocated elbow in the Ducks’ second game of the season, made her return on April 20 vs. Portland State. Gail had two at bats as a pinch hitter in the game, going 0-1 and also being hit by a pitch. The Poway, Calif., native made her defensive return vs. Arizona State May 1st, coming in to play first base in relief of starter Kristi Leiter.
SECURING THE SERIES
Under the guidance of Coach Arendsen, Oregon has now won the season series in at least one season from every Pac-10 school with the exception of California and Arizona. Oregon won the series vs. Oregon State, Washington and Stanford in back-to-back seasons (2003, 2004).
IMPRESSIVE FRESHMAN
Although just a freshman, Lovena Chaput has emerged as the Ducks most consistent offensive player leading the team in slugging percentage (.538), runs scored (27), hits (49), doubles (10), triples (tie, 2), home runs (tie, 5), total bases (78), at bats (145) and games played (tie, 48). Her 10 doubles is sixth all-time for doubles in a single season...She has had at least one hit in 11 of 14 conference games, currently hitting .362 in Pac-10 games. Her 10 runs and 17 hits in conference games are both sixth overall in the league. Seven of her 17 hits in conference play are extra base hits, including four doubles, a triple and two home runs...She has 17 extra base hits overall this season to lead the Ducks.
