Freshman Trio Add All-Region Honors - University of Oregon Athletics

STARKVILLE, Miss. – A day after the Pacific-10 Conference honored them for their impressive freshman seasons, a trio of University of Oregon softball players added Pacific All-Region honors in an announcement by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Thursday.

In the vote by region head coaches, right fielder Samantha Pappas was tabbed to the 12-person All-Region First Team, and pitcher Jessica Moore and left fielder Allie Burger were named to the 12-person All-Region Second Team.

Dating back to 1988, UO has now staked 13 first-team and 21 second-team laurels all-time. Its three-player tally Thursday matched its third-highest count ever, and was its most since four players received similar honors in 2007 (while its all-time high (5) came in 1989).

A complete list of Duck All-Region recipients is listed at the bottom of this release.

Other schools from the Pacific Region that received honors included BYU, Boise State, California, Colorado State, Oregon State, St. Mary’s, Utah and Washington.

Overall, a total of 256 players from 116 different institutions comprised this season’s 10 first- and second-team all-regional squads, and a complete list of honorees is available at the www.NFCA.org website at the http://www.nfca.org/pagebank/?id=1567 URL address.

All honorees are now eligible for selection to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America first, second or third teams. In addition, conference pitchers and players of the year not selected to the regional teams were added for All-America consideration.

Stat-wise this week, the Las Flores, Calif., Pappas native ranked top-10 all-time for UO in a season in RBI (fourth-tied, 46), slugging (fifth, .667), home runs (eighth, 11-tied) and batting (ninth, .392). She also paced the Ducks this year in total bases (102), stolen bases (11), multi-hit games (18), multi-RBI games (14) and longest hitting streak (15 games).

The Sutter, Calif., native Moore upped her Duck school season strikeouts record to 216 last week, and led the team this year in ERA (1.87), wins (14), innings (164.2), starts (26), opposing batting average (.227), saves (4), games finished (10) and appearances (36).

Burger paced the team this week in runs (32); and ranked second in batting (.386), hits (56), stolen bases (7), multi-hit games (17) and longest-hitting streak (9); third in on-base percentage (.433), RBI (24) and multi-RBI games (14); and fourth in total bases (68) and walks (11). She also stood 12th all-time for UO on the season batting list (.386), and only .03 behind the 10th-best mark.

On Wednesday this week, Pappas was tabbed as an All-Pac-10 First-Team pick and the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year; Moore was an All-Pac-10 Second-Team choice; and Burger added All-Pac-10 honorable mention notoriety and joined the two on the All-Pac-10 Freshman Team. Earlier in the season in February and March, the trio each won Pac-10 Player or Pitcher of the Week Honors.

Looking ahead to this weekend in the Atlanta NCAA softball regional, the No. 20-ranked Ducks (33-19, 8-13) will make their 15th postseason appearance and first face Auburn (31-24, 11-17) Friday at 2:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

Action continues Saturday with three games, and at least one game on Sunday (if not two) in the four-team, double-elimination regional that includes eighth seed and ACC champion Georgia Tech (49-9, 19-2) and Jacksonville State (30-17, 13-6).

Friday’s Duck-Tiger game will be televised by ESPN2-HD, and all of the remaining regional games will be shown on ESPN-HD.

Each Duck game will be also broadcast live on the radio in Eugene by the Oregon Sports Network on Friday by The Score (95.3 FM) and on Saturday and Sunday by KSCR (1320-AM). Veteran Duck sportscaster Terry Jonz will call the action.

2010 PACIFIC ALL-REGION FIRST TEAM
Pos. - Name, School
P - Joelene Henderson, California
P - Danielle Lawrie, Washington
C - Shawna Wright, Washington
1B - Andrea Ramirez, BYU
2B - Kristin Delahoussaye, BYU
3B - Angeline Quiocho, BYU
SS - Jenn Salling, Washington
UT/P - Valerie Arioto, California
UT/DP - Niki Williams, Washington
*OF - Samantha Pappas, Oregon
OF - Kimi Pohlman, Washington
OF - Jamia Reid, California

2010 PACIFIC ALL-REGION SECOND TEAM
Pos. - Name, School
P - Paige Affleck, BYU
*P - Jessica Moore, Oregon
C - Jessica Purcell-Fitu, BYU
1B - Christine Thomsen, Colorado State
2B - Shannon Thomas, California
3B - Kathy Cox, Boise State
SS - Caitlan Stem, Colorado State
UT/P - Alex Holmes, UC Davis
UT/DP - Lea Cavestany, Oregon State
*OF - Allie Burger, Oregon
OF - Kara Foster, Utah
OF - Michelle Mounts, St. Mary's