No. 13 Bear Softball Edges No. 17 Ducks, 2-0

www.goducks.com

(Berkeley, California) - The No. 17 University of Oregon softball team (30-10, 2-6) was held scoreless by one of the nation’s top pitchers for the second straight day, and lost to No. 13 California (26-8, 4-4) by a 2-0 count at Levine-Fricke Field Saturday afternoon.

The returning Super Regional advancer Bears scored both of their runs off Duck junior Samantha Skillingstad (8-3) in the third inning with two outs.

After a fly-out and ground-out two-out opened the inning, Frani Echavarria delivered a two-run double to right field after a single and walk, then was cut down at third base on a 9-4-5 putout.

Afterward, senior Brittany Rumfelt pitched the final three innings for UO, retired five Cal hitters via strikeout, walked none and allowed two hits.

At the plate, the Ducks banged out seven hits – all singles - but stranded eight runners on base (compared with six for Cal in the latter category).

Freshmen Courtney Ceo and Kailee Cuico each ended with a pair of hits, and three others hit safely once – senior Monique Fuiava and sophomores Kaylan Howard and Samantha Pappas.

Ceo’s multi-hit game was her team-leading 17th of the season, and hiked her season hit total to 50 – also a team-best after she entered the weekend tied for seventh in the Pac-10.

Cal senior pitcher Jolene Henderson (25-5) - the Pac-10’s strikeout and ERA leader prior to the series (173 / 0.87) – struck out seven, walked two, and allowed seven hits.

The Ducks loaded the bases in the first inning for the second straight game as Ceo reached on an error by the third baseman, Fuiava singled, and senior Kaitlin Vitek walked before a strikeout ended the inning.

Oregon put two runners on again in the second inning, thanks to singles by Cuico, Howard and Ceo, but another strikeout ended the inning.

Henderson also shutout UO, 5-0, in Friday’s opener near Strawberry Canyon, and now has 10 shutouts on the season after she ranked fifth nationally this week.

The two teams will meet again in the series finale Sunday at noon.

Source: www.goducks.com