Ducks Set for Pac-10 Duals in Desert
* A link to updated statistics is available, and combined stats from the UO's sweep of Seattle Tuesday are available in the LINKS box to the right.
THIS WEEK'S DUCK SOFTBALL ACTION (2009 / 2008 Record)
Fri., March 27, 7 p.m. ? No. 6 Arizona State (2009: 28-5, 0-0; 2008: 66-5, Pac-10 18-3 (1st)) - www.theSunDevils.com
Sat., March 28, 7 p.m. ? No. 11 Arizona (2009: 28-7, 0-0; 2008: 41-9, Pac-10 13-8 (3rd)) - www.ArizonaAthletics.com
Sun., March 29, 11 a.m. ? No. 11 Arizona (2009: 28-7, 0-0; 2008: 41-9, Pac-10 13-8 (3rd)) - www.ArizonaAthletics.com
WHAT'S HAPPENING
EUGENE ? The Duck softball team (10-17, 0-1) heads to the desert to take
on a pair of top-12 ranked Pac-10 rivals who have combined for the last
three national titles. Fresh off her 599th and 600th overall career
wins in UO's doubleheader sweep of Seattle, Duck head coach Kathy
Arendsen fondly remembers UO’s 2-1 win in Tucson last year ? its first
at UA since 1989 that also gave UO its first season series since their
first meeting in 1986. UO has also taken the ASU season series twice
(2005, ’03) under its all-time winngest mentor.
DUCKS TO WATCH
Earlier this week, senior
Sari-Jane Jenkins had a team-best five hits in seven at-bats vs.
Seattle and stole two bases to raise her Duck career record to 90.
Among the six Ducks that homered in the two games vs. the Redhawks, freshman Kelsey Chambers hit two home runs, to raise her season total to five, second-most on the team and tops among newcomers.
Junior centerfielder Neena Bryant ranks fifth in the Pac-10 in steals (17) and 12th in batting (.380), and with her stats from the Seattle doubleheader that included her third homer of ?09, she now paces the team in batting (.384), on-base percentage (.426), hits (33), stolen bases (19), triples (1) and longest season hit streak (9, twice).
Other Ducks that hit homers vs. Seattle included Lindsey Chambers and sophomores Ashley Kivett and Monique Fuiava. The latter Duck launched her eighth homer of the season Tuesday ? a personal season high, and only two away from the Ducks’ 10th-best mark in a season.
Sophomore
Cortney Kivett switched to third base the last two weeks and is one of
three Ducks hitting over .350 (.356), and ranks second on the team in
stolen bases (10).
On the mound, freshman Samantha Skillingstad
(7-6) paces the squad in wins (6), strikeouts (84) and ERA (1.85), and
fellow frosh Mikayla Endicott ranks second in ERA (2.20) and wins (2).
Sophomore Brittany Rumfelt logged a 10-0 blanking of Seattle ? her
first career shutout, and struck out six in her five-inning complete
game.
RECENT DUCK STARTERS (?09/’08 Starts)
C: Ashley Kivett (13/41), Kaitlin Vitek (14/3)
1B: Carlyn Re (20/45), Monique Fuiava(7/19)
2B: Kelsey Chambers (3/0), Cortney Kivett (24/62)
SS: Lindsey Chambers (2/0), Sari-JaneJenkins (24/0)
3B: Cortney Kivett (3/0), Lindsey Chambers (17/0), Ashley Kivett (5/1), Kaitlin Vitek (2/0)
RF: Blair Williamson (3/17), Kelsey Chambers (23/0)
CF: Neena Bryant (27/64)
LF: Sari-Jane Jenkins (3/64), Blair Williamson (13/13-RF), Shelley Deadmond (11/0)
DP: Monique Fuiava (18/43), Carlyn Re (63)
TOP DUCK HITTERS (’09 Stats)
Neena Bryant, Jr., CF-.384 33-86, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 19 SB
Cortney Kivett, So., 3B - .356, 31-87, 10 SB
Sari-Jane Jenkins, Sr., LF - .359, 33-92, 1 HR, 10 SB
Carlyn Re, Jr., 1B - .284, 21-74, 8 RBI, 7 BB
Monique Fuiava, So., DP- .288, 8 HR, 17 RBI, .663 SLG
Kelsey Chambers, Fr., 2B - .253, 19-75, 5 HR, 21 RBI
TOP DUCK PITCHERS (’09 Stats)
Sam Skillingstad, Fr., 7-6, 1.65, 84SO, 24BB, 7CG, 2 SHO
Mikayla Endicott, Fr., 2-3, 2.20, 42 SO, 12 BB, 2CG,1SHO
Brittany Rumfelt, So., 1-4, 3.53, 53 SO, 12 BB, 45.2 IP
THIS WEEK’S PAC-10 RANKINGS (as of 3/23)
The following Ducks ranked top 10 this week in the Pac-10 stat rankings
- Neena Bryant, Jr., Placentia, Calif. - Stolen Bases, 5th, 17 (leader Jamia Reid, Cal, 28)
- Mikayla Endicott, Fr., Roseburg, Ore. ? ERA, 10th, 2.14 (leader Danielle Lawrie, Washington, 0.27)
-
Samantha Skillingstad, Fr. Spokane, Wash. ? Strikeouts, 6th, 83 (leader
Danielle Lawrie, Washington, 208); ERA, 7th, 1.88 (leader Lawrie,
0.27); Innings, 9th, 78.0 (leader Lawrie, 130.1)
And here were UO’s top team rankings:
- Stolen Bases ? 2nd, 41 (leader California 100)
- Doubles ? 6th, 31 (leader Arizona 63)
- Batters Struck Out ? 5th, 39
NEXT HOME GAME PROMOTION
Ticket
Back Offer ? vs. Portland State, Wednesday, April 1. - Show your ticket
stub from the Oregon vs. Portland baseball game the day before and
receive free admission to the Oregon vs. Portland State softball game
that starts at 5 p.m.
CATCH THE ACTION LIVE
Duck
softball fans can track home action this season several ways. For home
games, O-Zone subscribers will be able to listen to and watch games
online, and three home games will also be broadcast live locally on
radio by KUGN (590 AM) and KSCR (1320 AM) - Sun., April 5th vs.
Stanford; Sat., April 11th vs. Oregon State; Sat., Sat., 9th vs. ASU. A
monthly subscription for O-Zone access is only $9.95 per month, and a
link to signing up is available at the www.GoDucks.com multimedia link
at the top of each page. For all games, live stats for all home and
away contests are available for free via the softball schedule page by
clicking on the page icon with the '1" in the far right media column.
IN THE POLLS
The
Ducks received votes in the first two editions of the NFCA and USA
Softball polls in ?09, and this week’s Pac-10 teams' rankings follow:
Washington (2/2), UCLA (5/4), Stanford (3/3), Arizona State (6/9),
California (16/12) and Arizona (11/15). In both preseason polls all
eight of the teams from the nation’s top softball conference, the
Pacific-10, were sighted, and their rankings follow: Arizona State
(2/3), UCLA (4/4), Arizona (7/7), Stanford (11/9), California (17/14),
Washington (21/15), Oregon (votes) and Oregon State (votes).
UPCOMING OPPONENT INFO
No. 6 ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS (28-5)
Web site: www.TheSunDevils.com
Gametime: April 27, 7 p.m. PT
2009 Season Stats: http://www.arizonaathletics.com/sports/w-softbl/stats/2008-2009/teamstat.html
Head Coach: Clint Myers
Career Record (Years): 682-85
Record at School (Years): 2013-42 (4th)
Associate HC: Robert Wagner
Assistant: Kirsten Voak
2008 Overall Record: 66-5
2008 Conference Record: 18-3, 1st
2008 Postseason: National Champ. (10-0)
Returning Letterwinners/Starters:18/4
Series Record: ASU leads, 43-34
No. 11 ARIZONA WILDCATS (28-7)
Web site: www.ArizonaAthletics.com
2009 Season Stats: http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/stats/2008-2009/teamstat.html
Head Coach: Mike Candrea
Career Record (Years): 1159-235-2 (23rd)
Record at School: Same
Assistants: Larry Ray, Teresa Wilson, AmyHillenbrand (VC)
2008 Overall Record: 41-19
2008 Conference Record: 13-8, 3rd
2008 Postseason: World Series (5-3)
Ret. Letterwinners/Starters/Pitchers:12/6/2
Series Record: Arizona leads, 74-12
UPCOMING OPPONENT SERIES HISTORY
Under
seventh-year head coach Kathy Arendsen, the Ducks have won the season
series vs. both Arizona in 2008 (2-1) and against Arizona State in 2005
(2-1) and ’03 (2-1). The Wildcats held the series advantage over the
Ducks in 2007 (0-3), 2006 (0-3), 2005 (1-2), 2004 (1-2) and 2003 (0-3),
and ASU held the upper hand in 2008 (0-3), 2007 (1-2), 2006 (0-3) and
2004 (2-1).
Here are UO’s wins (and winning pitchers) under Arendsen vs. Arizona (with national ranking in (#):
2008: @UA, 2-1 (#8), W-Alicia Cook; 3-2 (#8), W-Alicia Cook
2005: 3-0 (#2), W-Amy Harris
2004: 1-0 (#1), W-Ani Nyhus
and here are similar Duck wins vs. ASU (with national ranking in (#)):
2007: 6-5 (#9), W-Alicia Cook
2005: @ASU, 1-0 (#17), W-Amy Harris; 3-0, W-Amy Harris
2004: 1-0, W-Ani Nyhus
2003: 5-2, 3-0
GETTING THE CALL
In
mid-February, senior Sari-Jane Jenkins was the 19th player picked
overall in the 2009 National Professional Fastpich (NPF) senior draft.
Taken as one of eight picks by the Akron Racers, she was the fourth of
six Pac-10 players selected in the draft ? the most of any conference,
followed by the SEC (4). The league features five teams that play
three-month 20-game pro season from June 10-August 16, and more
information on the team is available at their www.AkronRacers.org
website. Going back in history, Jenkins is the second Duck chosen in
the draft after former All-America catcher Jenn Poore was chosen by the
same team and played three seasons. Jenkins’ bloodlines have various
elite athletics ties with her brother Andy in major league baseball
spring training as a fourth-year catcher in the Marlins organization
after he played on Oregon State’s College World Series team in 2003.
Another older brother Riley was a running back for Linfield and was
named the MVP of the 2004 national football championship game, and her
younger brother Riley was on the Oregon State football roster last fall.
RETURNING DUCK STARTER PRESEASON NOTES
-
Junior centerfielder Neena Bryant is a 2009 preseason USA Softball
Player of the Year candidate after one of UO’s greatest opening
two-year stretches at the plate. Oregon’s Offensive MVP and Player of
the Year in 2008 led the team in batting (.330), slugging (.536), hits
(64), home runs (10) and multi-hit games (16) en route to All-Pac-10
Second Team honors.
- Senior and team captain Sari-Jane Jenkins is
the school career stolen base leader (90), and also ranks top-10
all-time in career batting average (sixth, .336), runs (fifth, 126) and
hits (fourth, 218). An All-Pac-10 Second Team pick in 2007 and
honorable mention in ’08, she led the team last season in runs (37),
walks (37), on-base percentage (.418) and triples (2), and stood second
in batting (.293) and stolen bases (32).
- Sophomore catcher
Ashley Kivett made 42 of her 46 starts at catcher in ’08, and showed
timely hitting instincts with homers vs. Pac-10 rivals Washington and
Oregon State.
- Sophomore Cortney Kivett led the Pac-10 in stolen
bases last year (33) - one of three Ducks ranked top five with Jenkins
(second) and Bryant (fifth) - and had the team’s top freshman batting
mark (.290).
- Sophomore designated player-first baseman Monique
Fuiava ranks second among Duck returnees based on 2008 stats in
slugging (.395), home runs (7) and RBI (20).
- At first base,
junior Carlyn Re shared starting honors with Fuiava, and her
infield-leading .993 fielding percentage helped her earn 46 starts. Her
charisma and positive attitude will also help steady an infield that
smacks of youth.
- Junior left fielder Blair Williamson led the
Ducks in batting in Pac-10 contests in ’08 (.258) and started 12 of the
final 18 Pac-10 games of the season.
RETURNING DUCK PITCHER PRESEASON NOTES
-
Junior Melissa Rice staked the team’s Pitcher of the Year award as a
freshman and sophomore in 2006 and ’07, and is a frequent sighting on
Duck all-time career charts, including wins (eighth, 41), strikeouts
(eighth, 290), games (eighth, 111), complete games (ninth, 37) and
innings (ninth, 466.2).
- Even though she missed a month of duty
because of a pitching finger injury, sophomore Brittany Rumfelt still
logged a 6-4 record in 2008 and started her career with a 4-0 record,
including wins vs. returning NCAA qualifiers Long Island and Cal Poly.
In Pac-10 duty, she stood second on the team (and is the top returnee)
in appearances (10) and innings (39).
- The pair combined on UO’s
16th no-hitter in school history in March 2008 - a five-inning 8-0 home
win vs. Idaho State in the Cascade Clash tournament. Altogether in ’08,
the duo combined for 18 of the team’s 35 wins (Rice 12, Rumfelt 6) and
made 54 appearances (Rice 34, Rumfelt 21).
OTHER DUCK RETURNEE PRESEASON NOTES
-
Heading into the ’08 campaign, junior Hannah Barril positioned herself
as one of the team’s most improved players, and was rewarded with the
team’s Most Inspirational Award in ?08. Her speed and heady instincts
on the base paths marked her as the team’s most called-upon pinch
runner last year, and her career-high 51 games of action included
starts vs. returning NCAA qualifiers California and Southern Utah.
-
Redshirt junior outfielder Shelley Deadmond joined the team in 2008 and
was one of its most called-upon pinch runners in 18 appearances. Able
to play any outfield position, she transferred to UO after earning
all-league honorable mention honors for Butte College in 2006 and ’07.
-
Behind the plate, sophomore Kaitlin Vitek is another contender to help
replace graduated catcher Amie Morris and third baseman Joanna Gail who
started 110 games and 179 games, respectively, the previous three
seasons. The Valencia, Calif., native Vitek started three games in ’08,
including key late season contests vs. top-25 California and
Washington, and earlier rapped out pinch hits vs. top-ranked UCLA and
another top-10 foe in Stanford.
NEWCOMER PRESASON NOTES
On
the mound, freshman right-hander Samantha Skillingstad shined in her
first fall of work in ?08, one that included a nine-strikeout no-hitter
in her Fall Fest starting debut. As a prep, she was an All-America
First-Team choice as a junior and senior. The two-time Washington
Player of the Year led her team to the state title in 2007 and
runner-up honors in '08. In similar fashion, fellow frosh Mikayla
Endicott staked Oregon State Pitcher of the Year honors as a senior and
Player of the Year status as a junior and led her Roseburg high school
team to the 6A state title her final season. The pair showed their
moxie on the mound last summer against the Olympic-silver medal U.S.
National Team and had their club team’s best stats in Pacific Northwest
stops in mid-July.
Freshman identical twins Kelsey Chambers and
Lindsey Chambers will have ample opportunity to play in right field and
infield, respectively, after the Duck made changes at various positions
after the graduation of shortstop Lovena Chaput, third baseman Joanna
Gail and right fielder Kayleen Hudson. The newcomer duo from the Bay
Area were multiple All-Metro Team infield choices and helped their
Sorcerer Gold-Pete ASA club win the 2008 18-U Louisville title and
Louisville Slugger Independence Day Tournament in Boulder, Colo.
Freshman catcher Jordan Reeves impressed UO coaches enough in the fall
to earn a spot on the roster, and is quickly adjusting to the
collegiate level. As a prep, Reeves helped her Fairbanks high school
team to a pair of top-three state finishes, and her Alaska Northstars
club team was the state runner-up in ?08.
2008 SEASON RECAP
UO
staked its fifth +35-win season under Arendsen in ’08 (35-29, 5-17). In
the postseason, the Ducks beat Arkansas and Tulsa to advance to the
regional final at Oklahoma, and earned votes in the campaign’s final
polls. During the regular season, Oregon took the season series from
eight-time national champion Arizona after it won its first game in
Tucson since 1989, and also beat fellow league rivals California,
Oregon State and Washington. Earlier during the '08 season, UO also
beat four other 2007 NCAA advancers - Long Island, Mississippi Valley
State (twice) and Oklahoma. Outfielder Neena Bryant was tabbed to the
All-Pac-10 Second Team, and three others were honorable mentions - the
graduated pair of pitcher Alicia Cook and third baseman Joanna Gail and
Sari-Jane Jenkins. Cook claimed the team's Pitcher of the Year award
and then-senior shortstop Lovena Chaput was its Top Defensive Player
award winner.
IN A LEAGUE OF HER OWN
Head
Coach Kathy Arendsen returns for her seventh season as UO’s all-time
wins leader, and she sports its best all-time winning percentage
(228-159, .589) and has tied the longest tenure in school history. In
the postseason, she has guided UO to the regional final in all five of
its postseason trips, and the Ducks’ 15-10 postseason record tops the
program’s 8-8 mark in its four other regional trips since the first
NCAA tournament in 1982.
Arendsen’s first season in ’03 was one
of UO’s greatest when the Ducks tied for third in the Pac-10 (37-19,
10-11) and had one more conference win than the previous three years
combined. UO continued to shine with several other of its finest
seasons in 2004 (42-21, 10-11) and 2005 (36-25, 7-14), then raised the
stakes even higher in ’07 (44-19). UO sprinted out to a 24-3 start
thanks to a school-record 18-game win streak and top-10 national
ranking, and later reached the regional final for the fourth time in
her five seasons.
Overall in her 20-year collegiate coaching
career, she sports a 600-434 (.580) overall record after prior stops at
Mississippi State, Yale, Eastern Illinois and Western Connecticut.
Before
her coaching career, she initially staked her name as one of the
greatest pitchers in collegiate and U.S. history in a career that
included 4,038 strikeouts, three Broderick (National Player of the
Year) Awards and national titles for Texas Women’s University in 1979
and ’80. Afterwards, she pitched for the Raybestos Brakettes
(Stratford, Conn.) and went 338-26, and staked 79 no-hitters, 42
perfect games, 265 shutouts and a 0.15 ERA. After her retirement, the
Deerland, Mich., native was elected to the International Softball Hall
of Fame, ASA Hall of Fame, Softball Hall of Fame, Cal State Chico Hall
of Fame, Texas Women’s University Hall of Fame, Michigan ASA Hall of
Fame and Grand Rapids Hall of Fame.
MORE LOVE FOR THE DUCK STAFF
Oregon’s
recent success can also be tied to the continuity of one of the
nation’s top staffs that includes associate head coach J. Gaudreau,
Arendsen’s top assistant the past 15 seasons, and assistant coach Mick
Hokanson who returns for his fourth season in Eugene and 18th overall
in the collegiate ranks.
SKED CRED
The Ducks
face another grueling schedule in 2009 with 29 of their 51 games
against 16 returning 2008 NCAA qualifiers. That list of who’s who in
collegiate softball includes four returning World Series qualifiers
(Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State and UCLA), four more Super Regional
advancers (California, Missouri, Northwestern and Stanford) and fellow
first-round advancers Cal State Fullerton, Georgia Tech, Hawai’i,
Nevada, North Carolina, San Diego State, Texas and Washington.
Glancing
at the preseason NFCA and USA Softball polls, 11 of UO’s 31 opponents
this season were ranked, including six in the top 10 - Arizona State
(2/3), Alabama (3/2), UCLA (4/4), Arizona (7/7), Northwestern (9/11)
and Stanford (11/9). Other opponents sighted in the top 25 included
California (17/14), Washington (21/15), Missouri (16/19), North
Carolina (18/21) and Nevada (23/22), and five others received votes -
Georgia Tech, Hawai'i, Nebraska, Oregon State and Texas.
For
comparison’s sake, the 2008 schedule featured 27 games against 16
opponents that made the 2007 NCAA tourney field. Duck wins in 2008
against those NCAA qualifiers (and game scores) included a pair against
eight-time national champion and World College Series advancer Arizona
(3-2, 2-1) to give Oregon its first-ever season series vs. the
Wildcats, Long Island (2-1), No. 10 seed Oklahoma (1-0), Mississippi
Valley State (10-0, 6-1), Arizona (3-2, 2-1), California (4-1),
Washington (3-0), Tulsa (1-0) and Arkansas (3-0).
Later this
season, collegiate softball RPI rankings will be available at the
http://warrennolan.com website. Last year, Oregon’s strength of
schedule ranked 38th nationally among the 282 Division 1 programs, and
look for the Ducks to make major gains during the conference slate with
the Pac-10 Conference’s unparalleled strength.
A FOND FAREWELL
Senior
pitcher Alicia Cook, the team’s 2008 Pitcher of the Year, won all five
of UO’s Pac-10 games last season and beat four league rivals teams ?
three of which advanced to the NCAA tourney (Arizona (2x), California,
Washington) and Oregon State ? and also accounted for its 1-0
postseason win over Tulsa. Senior shortstop Lovena Chaput capped her
career ranked top 10 for UO in doubles (third, 36), games played
(third, 234), at-bats (seventh, 663), home runs (eighth, 22), walks
(10th, 63), RBI (10th, 94) and runs in a game (tied, 4). In the field,
she was tapped as the team’s defensive MVP after she switched from left
field to shortstop her final collegiate season ? the latter position
was the same that she had earlier received ASA All-America honors.
Senior third baseman Joanna Gail led the team in doubles (12) and
assists (186), and the former mark ranked 10th-best in a season for UO.
On the season, she also ranked top-five for the team in total bases
(second, 82), slugging (second, .463), sacrifice bunts (second, 7),
batting (fourth, .277), hits (fourth, 49) and on-base percentage
(fifth, .312). Senior right fielder Kayleen Hudson stood top-five on
the team in walks (fourth, 16), RBI (fifth, 16), home runs (fifth, 4).
With their success in the classroom, Gail and Hudson were tabbed to the
Pac-10 All-Academic Second team, while senior catcher Amie Morris
picked up her first, first-team honor. The Salem, Ore., native started
111 games in her career and was one of the team’s most dependable
signal-callers.
DOUBLE YOUR FUN
The Ducks sport a
pair of twins on their roster in 2009 ? all four of whom who have
frequently started in the opening non-conference tournaments of 2009.
The fraternal set of sophomores Ashley Kivett and Cortney Kivett
sisters were integral cogs for the Duck offense last season as Cortney
paced the Pac-10 in steals with UO’s fourth-most ever in a season (33),
while Ashley started 43 games, including 41 behind the plate and had
homers against both Pac-10 Northwest rivals, Oregon State and
Washington. This season, the identical freshman pair of Kelsey Chambers
and Lindsey Chambers started at right field and third base for UO in
the season-opening Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, and Kelsey led the Ducks
in hitting in the five-game set (545, 6-for-11, 1 double, 6 RBI, 3
walks) and also had a game-winning RBI vs. Texas Tech to help UO to its
first win of the season.
LAST WEEK’S RECORD BOOK UPDATES
Sari-Jane Jenkins, Sr., LF, Salem, Ore
Career Stolen Bases ? 90, 1st; (10 in ’09, 80 in prior seasons ? 32, 2008, 38, 2007, 10, 2007)
Career Doubles ? 8th-t, 32; (6 in ’09, 26 in prior seasons - 5, 2008, 16, 2007, 5, 2006)
THIS WEEK’S RECORD BOOK WATCH ? UO ALL-TIME CHARTS
Neena Bryant, Jr., CF, Placentia, Calif.
Career Average ? 9th, .331 (.384 in ’09 (33-86); / .319 in 2007-08 (122-382))
Career Home Runs ? 8th, 23 ? (7th is 24, 6th is 25); (3 in ’09, 20 in prior seasons - 10, 2008, 10, 2007)
Career RBIs ? 8th, 111 (7th is 117, 6th is 119); (19 in ’09, 92 in prior seasons - 46, 2008, 46, 2007)
Career Stolen Bases ? 7th, 56 (5th-t is 58); (19 in ’09, 37 in prior seasons ? 22, 2008, 15, 2007)
Career Doubles ? 29 (10th is 30); (5 in ’09, 24 in prior seasons ? 10, 2008, 14, 2007)
Season Stolen Bases ? 19, 2009 (10th is 22, 7th-t is 23)
Monique Fuiava, So., Las Vegas, Nev.
Season Home Runs ? 8, 2009 (10th is 10, 8th-t is 11)
Season Doubles ? 6, 2009 (10th is 12, 9th is 13)
Sari-Jane Jenkins, Sr., LF, Salem, Ore.
Career Stolen Bases ? 90, 1st; (10 in ’09, 80 in prior seasons ? 32, 2008, 38, 2007, 10, 2007)
Career Average - 6th, .336 (218-for-648), (28-for-82 in ’09, 185-for-556 in past seasons)
Career Hits ? 4th, 218 ? (3rd is 224); (33 in ’09, 185 in prior seasons - 53, 2008, 82, 2007, 50, 2006)
Career Runs ? 5th, 126 (4th is 130, 3rd is 144); (15 in ’09, 111 in prior seasons - 37, 2008, 48, 2007, 26, 2007)
Career Doubles ? 8th-t, 32 (7th is 33, 5th?t is 34); (6 in ’09, 26 in prior seasons - 5, 2008, 16, 2007, 5, 2006)
Career Walks ? 62 (10th is 63, 9th is 65); (6 in ’09, 56 in prior seasons ? 37, 2008, 10, 2007, 9, 2006)
Cortney Kivett, So., 3B, Yucaipa, Calif.
Career Stolen Bases ? 9th, 43 (8th is 43, 7th is 52) ? (10 in ’09, 33 in ’08)
Melissa Rice, Sr., P, Colville, Wash.
Career Shutouts ? 6th, 12 ? (5th is 14); (12 in prior seasons - 3 in 2008, 8 in 2007, 1 in 2006)
Career Innings ? 8th, 466.2 (7th is 482); (11.2 in ’09, 455 in prior seasons ? 139.1 in 2008, 202.2 in 2007, 113 in 2006)
Career Games ? 8th, 111 (7th is 114); (6 in ’09, 105 in prior seasons ? 34 in 2008, 40 in 2007, 31 in 2006)
Career Complete Games ? 9th, 37; (8th is 42); (37 in previous seasons ? 10 in 2008, 23 in 2007, 4 in 2006)
Career Strikeouts ? 8th, 290 ? (7th is 316); (9 in ’09; 281 in prior seasons ? 87 in 2008, 114 in 2007, 80 in 2006)
OTHER DUCK RECORD BOOK SIGHTINGS ? PAST SEASONS
Sari-Jane Jenkins, Sr., LF, Salem, Ore.
Past Seasons
Average ? 7th, .396, 2007
Runs ? 5th, 48, 2007
Hits ? 2nd, 82, 2007
Doubles ? 2nd, 16, 2007
Stolen Bases ? 2nd, 38, 2007
Melissa Rice, Sr., P, Colville, Wash.
Past Seasons
Victories ? 6th, 21, 2007
Appearances ? 9th, 40, 2007
Starts ? 9th, 34, 2007
Complete Games ? 10th-t, 23, 2007
Strikeouts ? 9th, 114, 2007
Neena Bryant, Jr., CF, Placentia, Calif.
Season
Doubles - 4th-t, 14, 2007
Home Runs ? 10th-t, 10, 2007
Runs Batted In ? 4th, 46, 2007
Extra Base Hits ? 5th, 25, 2007
Total Bases ? 9th-t, 104, 2007
Home Runs ? 10th, 10, 2007 and 2008
Runs Batted - 4th, 46 (3rd is 47)
Total Bases ? 9th, 104, 2007 and 2008
Game
Home Runs ? 3rd, 2, vs. UC Davis, 3/25/08
Monique Fuiava, So., 1B-DP, Las Vegas, Nevada
Game
RBIs ? 5th-tie, 6, vs. Cal Poly, 2/9/08
Cortney Kivett, So., 3B, Yucaipa, Calif.
Past Seasons
Stolen Bases ? 4th, 33, 2008
Game
Hits ? 2nd-tie, 4, vs. Colorado State, 2/28/08
Stolen Bases ? 3rd, 3, vs. UNLV, 3/8/08
THE CONFERENCE OF CHAMPIONS
The
moniker 'The Conference of Champions' is indeed appropriate for the
Pac-10 softball league, since four of the eight league members have
combined for 21 of the 27 previous NCAA championships. In '08, Arizona
State claimed the national crown and was one of three Pac-10 teams that
advanced to the eight-team Women’s College World Series with No. 2 and
7 seeds UCLA and Arizona. In the year-end final rankings, ASU ranked
first in the NFCA and USA Softball polls, and other teams in the top 25
included UCLA (5/5), Arizona (7/7), Stanford (11/13) and California
(16/14), while Washington and Oregon both received votes.
Individually, 13 Pac-10 players were tabbed All-Americans in 2008
(1st-4, 2nd-1, 3rd-8).
OREGON POSTSEASON HISTORY
UO’s
first postseason trip was in 1976 to the AIAW World Series, an event it
returned to in 1980. The Ducks’ next regional trip in 1989 (3-1)
resulted in its lone Women’s College World Series invitation where it
went 1-2 with a win over South Carolina (1-0) and losses to Cal Poly
Pomona (1-0) and Arizona (4-0). The Ducks also advanced to regional
play in 1990 (0-2), ’94 (2-2), ’98 (2-2), ’99 (1-2) and 2000 (2-2).
Seventh-year head coach Kathy Arendsen guided UO to its five most
recent trips in ’03 in Fullerton, Calif. (5-2), ’04 in Tallahassee,
Fla., (4-2), ’05 (2-2), ’07 in Columbia, S.C. (2-2) and ’08 (2-2) in
Norman, Okla.
THE ROAD TO OKLAHOMA CITY
The NCAA
Division I Tournament is composed of 64 teams (30 automatic qualifiers
and 34 at-large) and held over three weekends. The opening weekend
(Friday-Sunday, May 15-17), four teams participate in each of 16
regional sites in a double-elimination tournament. The 16 top teams are
seeded with one placed at each regional site, and remaining teams
placed in regional brackets to create balanced competition and avoid
conference match-ups, when possible. The following weekend
(Friday-Saturday, May 22-23), the 16 regional winners advance to super
regional competition for a best-of-three, two-team series at eight
campus sites. The following weekend (Thursday May 28-June 3), the
remaining eight winning teams advance to the Women’s College World
Series (WCWS) - an eight-team, double-elimination tournament - hosted
at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. More tourney
info is located at the www.NCAAsports.com website.
TICKET INFORMATION
In
2009, the Ducks will host 15 home games on 14 dates at Howe Field. UO
has four non-conference dates early in the schedule vs. Portland State
(Wed., March 11; Wed., April 1 at 5 p.m.), and Seattle (doubleheader ?
Tue., March 24 at 1 p.m.). Oregon’s first home Pac-10 contest is
against California, Friday, April 3 for a 4 p.m. tilt. Five weeks
later, UO caps the regular season at home vs. a pair of recent national
champions in Arizona and Arizona State, Thursday-Saturday, May 7-9.
Varsity
sport tickets are available though the Oregon Athletic Ticket Office
(1-800-WEB-FOOT, 541 346-4461 locally), and tickets are for general
admission seating are $5 for Adults and $3 for Children (2-18) and
Seniors (62+). Groups of 10 or more that arrange for tickets in advance
can purchase GA tickets for $2 each. Current UO Students with valid UO
ID’s can receive general admission at no charge.
LET THERE BE LIGHTS
The
2009 season will be the first for UO where the team can host games at
night. In January, the department finished the installation of six
permanent light standards by Musco Sports Lighting to give the Ducks an
option to practice and play at night. The project - budgeted at
$314,000 - will be paid mostly from the gifted salary of UO athletic
director Pat Kilkenny. The lighting system will resemble the recent
update to nearby Hayward Field, although the candlepower won't be the
same strength and adjusted to limit the effects on the surrounding
residential neighborhood.
HOME GAME TICKET/PROMOTION GAME CALENDAR
Wed., 3/11 - Portland State, 5 p.m. - Bi-Mart 2 for 1 Ticket Deal
Tue., 3/24 - Seattle (doubleheader), 1 p.m. -Bi-Mart $2 Tuesday ? 2 games for $2
Wed., 4/1 - Portland State, 5 p.m. - April Fool’s Day - BB vs. Portland Ticket stub - FREE
Fri.,
4/3 - California, 4 p.m. - "Duck Day" - Live Green Yell-O ? T-Shirt Day
Get $1 off General Admission with your Spirit T-Shirt.
Sat., 4/4 - Stanford, 1 p.m. - Jr. Duck Day / Bi-Mart Family Day - 2 kids & 2 adults for $10
Sun., 4/5 - Stanford, Noon - Kidsports & Little League Day
Fri., 4/10 - Oregon State, 4 p.m. - Buy 1, Get 1 ? Buy OSU ticket, Get UW ticket free
Sat.,
4/11 - Oregon State, 1 p.m. ? "Pink out the Park" (Strike Out Cancer)
& Easter Game Egg Hunt for Kids Buy 1, Get 1 ? Buy OSU, Get UCLA
Fri., 4/17 - Washington, 4 p.m. ? Bi-Mart Family Day - 2 kids & 2 adults for $10
Sat., 4/18 - UCLA, 1 p.m. - "Signature Saturday" Autograph Day / Take a Kid to the Game ? Kids tix $1
Sun.,
4/19 - UCLA, Noon - "Crowd Howe" (on Earth Day - Plant a Tree, Get in
Free) - Donate your ticket price to the Eugene Tree Foundation
Thu., 5/7 - Arizona, 4 p.m. - BI-MART 2-for-1 ticket deal
Fri., 5/8 - Arizona State, 4 p.m. - Scout Night
Sat., 5/ 9 - Arizona State, Noon - Mother’s Day ? Moms get in Free
MORE ONLINE SOFTBALL INFORMATION
NCAA: www.ncaasports.com
NCAA Playing Rules: http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=351
NCAA Championships Handbooks: http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=36602
NCAA Record Books: http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=36413
Pacific-10 Conference: www.Pac-10.org
National Professional Fastpitch League (NPF): www.profastpitch.com
International Softball Federation: www.internationalsoftball.com
USA Softball: www.USAsoftball.ccm
National Fastpitch Coaches Association: www.nfca.org
Ultimate Softball: www.ultimatesoftball.com
Season RPI Ratings: http://warrennolan.com/softballl
OREGON SOFTBALL MEDIA
Daily Emerald Student Newspaper: www.dailyemerald.com
Eugene Register Guard: www.registerguard.com
Oregonian: www.oregonlive.com
KEZI-TV (ABC): www.kezi.org
KMTR-TV (NBC): www.kmtr.org
KVAL-TV (CBS): www.kval.org
KUGN-590 AM (Radio): www.kugn.com
Duck News (Online): www.DuckNews.com
OREGON SOFTBALL QUICK FACTS
Head Coach (Alma Mater): Kathy Arendsen (Chico State ?80)
Record at Oregon: 228-159 (.589) - Seventh Season
Overall Record: 600-434 (.580) - 20th Season
Office Phone / FAX: 541-346-2245 / -2244
Associate Head Coaches: J. Gaudreau
Assistant Coach: Mick Hokanson
Athletic Trainers: Luke Montgomery, Clay Jamieson
Team Managers: John Mitchell, Garrett Gilchrist
2008 Record / Pac-10 Record (place): 35-29 / 5-16 (8th)
2008 Final NFCA / USA Softball Rankings: Received Votes
2008 Highest NFCA / USA Softball Rankings: 20th / 23rd
2008 Postseason Record / Finish: 2-2 (Regional, Norman, Okla.)
Letterwinners Returning / Lost: 11/5
Starters Returning / Lost: 7/4
Position Players Returning / Lost: 9/4
Pitchers Returning / Lost: 2/1
Top 2009 Returnees (’08 Stats)
Sari-Jane Jenkins (Sr., lf, .293, 53H, 37BB, 37R, 32SB)
Neena Bryant (Jr., OF, .330, 64H, 10-2B, 10HR, 46RBI, 23SB)
Melissa Rice (Sr., P, 2.31 ERA, 12-11, 3 SHO, 87 SO, 41 BB)
Monique Fuiava (So., 1B, .223, 7 HR, 20 RBI)
Ashley Kivett (So., IF, .221, 24 H, 7 SB, 3 HR, 12 RBI)
Cortney Kivett (So., 2B, .290, 56 H, 33 SB)
Key 2008 Losses (’08 Stats)
Lovena Chaput (Sr., SS, .266, 47 H, 8 2B, 6 HR, 26 RBI)
Alicia Cook (Sr., P, 2.33 ERA, 17-14, 18 CG, 4 SHO)
Joanna Gail (Sr., 3B, .277, 49 H, 12 2B, 7 HR, 27 RBI)
Kayleen Hudson (Sr., RF, .203, 4 HR, 16 BB, 16 RBI)
Amie Morris (Sr., C, .182, 95 PO)
Newcomers (5)
Kelsey Chambers, Fr., OF, Concord, Calif.
Lindsey Chambers, Fr., IF, Concord, Calif.
Mikayla Endicott, Fr., P, Roseburg, Ore.
Jordan Reeves, Fr., C, Fairbanks, Alaska
Samantha Skillingstad, Fr., P, Spokane, Wash.
RETURNING LETTERWINNERS (# of letters)
Sari-Jane Jenkins: 3
Melissa Rice: 3
Hannah Barril: 2
Neena Bryant: 2
Carlyn Re: 2
Blair Williamson: 2
Monique Fuiava: 1
Ashley Kivett: 1
Cortney Kivett: 1
Brittany Rumfelt: 1
Kaitlin Vitek: 1
Letterwinners Lost (5)
Lovena Chaput: 4
Alicia Cook: 4
Joanna Gail: 4
Kayleen Hudson: 4
Amie Morris: 4
2009 DUCK NUMERICAL ROSTER
# Name Pos. B/T Ht. Yr. Hometown (High School/College)
1 Cortney Kivett IF L/R 5-3 So. Yucaipa, Calif. (Yucaipa)
2 Sari-Jane Jenkins LF L/R 5-6 Sr. Salem, Ore. (South Salem)
4 Blair Williamson OF L/R 5-8 Jr. Salem, Ore. (Sprague)
5 Lindsey Chambers IF R/R 5-4 Fr. Concord, Calif. (Clayton Valley)
6 Neena Bryant IF R/R 5-6 Jr. Placentia, Calif. (El Dorado)
7 Samantha Skillingstad P R/R 5-10 Fr. Spokane, Wash. (Shadle Park)
8 Kelsey Chambers IF-OF R/R 5-4 Fr. Concord, Calif. (Clayton Valley)
9 Mikayla Endicott P R/R 5-8 Fr. Roseburg, Ore. (Roseburg)
10 Hannah Barril IF L/R 5-1 Jr. Juneau, Alaska (Juneau Douglas)
11 Ashley Kivett C-IF R/R 5-4 So. Yucaipa, Calif. (Yucaipa)
13 Kaitlin Vitek C-IF R/R 5-8 So. Valencia, Calif. (William S. Hart)
15 Monique Fuiava 1B R/R 5-8 So. Las Vegas, Nev. (Mojave)
16 Melissa Rice P R/R 5-8 Sr. Colbert, Wash. (Colville)
24 Carlyn Re 1B L/R 5-6 Jr. Tualatin, Ore. (Tualatin)
25 Shelley Deadmond OF L/R 5-6 RJr. Chico, Calif. (Butte/Chico)
27 Jordan Reeves C R/R 5-8 Fr. Fairbanks, Alaska (Lathrop)
35 Brittany Rumfelt P L/L 5-8 So. Lakeport, Calif. (Clear Lake)
2009 DUCK ALPHABETICAL ROSTER
# Name Pos. B/T Yr.
10 Hannah Barril IF L/R Jr.
6 Neena Bryant OF R/R Jr.
8 Kelsey Chambers IF-OF R/R Fr.
5 Lindsey Chambers IF R/R Fr.
25 Shelley Deadmond OF L/R RJr.
9 Mikayla Endicott P R/R Fr.
15 Monique Fuiava 1B R/R So.
2 Sari-Jane Jenkins LF L/R Sr.
11 Ashley Kivett C-IF R/R So.
1 Cortney Kivett IF L/R So.
24 Carlyn Re 1B L/R Jr.
27 Jordan Reeves C R/R Fr.
16 Melissa Rice P R/R Sr.
35 Brittany Rumfelt P L/L So.
7 Samantha Skillingstad P R/R Fr.
13 Kaitlin Vitek C-IF R/R So.
4 Blair Williamson OF L/R Jr.
DUCK PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
COACHES
Kathy Arendsen (AIR-un-son)
J. Gaudreau (GOD-row)
Mick Hokanson (HOKE-an-son)
PLAYERS
Hannah Barril: bah-RIL
Neena Bryant: KNEE-nah
Mikayla Endicott: mih-KAY-lah IN-dih-cot
Monique Fuiava: foo-EE-ah-vah
Sari-Jane Jenkins: SARRY-Jane
Ashley & Courtney Kivett: KIHV-et
Carlyn Re: CAR-lynn RAY
Samantha Skillingstad: SKILL-ing-stad
Kaitlin Vitek: VEE-tek
SQUAD BREAKDOWN
BY CLASS
Seniors: 2
Juniors: 5
Sophomores: 5
Freshmen: 5
AT BAT / BY POSITION
Right/Left: 10/7
Infielders/Outfielders: 8/5
Pitchers/Catchers: 4/3
BY STATE
California: 8
Oregon: 4
Alaska: 2
Washington: 2
Nevada: 1
NATIONAL POLLS (3/24)
USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll
http://www.usasoftball.com/folders.asp?uid=3208
Rk Team Record Totals PVS
1 Florida (27) 33-3 722 1
*2 Washington (2) 27-3 689 3
*3 Stanford 28-1 664 4
*4 Alabama 26-4 623 2
*5 UCLA 24-3 620 5
*6 Arizona State 28-5 584 T6
7 Georgia 20-4 539 9
8 Oklahoma 26-8 484 11
9 Tennessee 24-6 464 T6
*10 Northwestern 15-7 440 14
*11 Arizona 28-7 432 12
12 Michigan 20-9 415 8
*13 Missouri 26-4 348 13
14 Louisville 26-3 327 15
15 Ohio State 22-3 314 17
*16 California 22-7 293 10
17 LSU 20-6 291 21
*18 North Carolina 26-7 269 18
19 Florida State 22-8 168 22
20 Texas A&M 23-11 136 19
21 Louisiana-Lafayette 17-7 111 16
22 UMass 13-6 103 23
23 DePaul 13-7 86 24
24 Cal Poly 19-6 70 RV
25 Southern Illinois 18-6 58 20
Others Receiving Votes: Fresno
State 51, Iowa 28, UNLV 17, Illinois 16, *Nevada 11, Baylor 10, Tulsa
10, Oklahoma State 9, *San Diego State 8, *Nebraska 5, *Texas 3,
Campbell 2, Creighton 2, South Florida 1, *Georgia Tech 1, Arkansas 1
Dropped Out: No. 25 Fresno State
* Denotes Duck opponents in 2009
Parenthesis denotes first place votes.
ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25
http://nfca.org/top25/index.php?cat_id=1
Rk Team Record Totals PVS
1. Florida (19) 32-2 498 1
*2. Washington (1) 27-3 476 3
*3. Stanford 29-1 448 4
*4. UCLA 24-3 438 5
*5. Alabama 26-4 432 2
6. Oklahoma 25-8 354 10
7. Georgia 20-4 353 9
*8. Northwestern 15-7 349 12
*9. Arizona State 28-5 340 11
10. Tennessee 24-6 332 6
11. Michigan 20-9 312 8
*12. California 22-7 264 7
13. Ohio State 22-3 263 14
*14. Missouri 26-4 244 13
*15. Arizona 28-7 228 15
16. Louisville 26-3 188 16
17. LSU 20-6 186 20
18. UMass 13-6 144 17
*19. North Carolina 26-7 143 18
20. Florida State 22-8 84 22
21. DePaul 13-7 80 21
22. Texas A&M 23-11 56 23
23. Fresno State 17-12 44 25
24. Iowa 24-5 41 RV
25. Cal Poly 19-6 37 RV
Dropped Out: Louisiana-Lafayette, Southern Illinois
Others receiving votes: Louisiana-Lafayette (34), Oklahoma State
(32), *Nevada (27), Florida Gulf Coast (16), *Georgia Tech (14),
*Nebraska (11), Southern Illinois (10), *Texas (8), Baylor (6), Western
Kentucky (3), South Florida (2), Northern Iowa (2), SIU Edwardsville
(1).
Parenthesis Denotes first place votes.
* Denotes Duck opponents in 2009
-The
USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by NCAA Division I
head coaches representing each conference. First-place votes are in
parentheses.
- www.GoDucks.com -
