Portland State Blanks Oregon in Softball Home Opener

A pair of Oregon freshmen had two hits each - second baseman Cortney Kivett (2-for-4) and designated player Monique Fuiava (2-for-3).

Under sunny blue skies at historic Howe Field, Portland State foiled Oregon, 4-0, in the Ducks' softball home opener Wednesday afternoon. Photo courtesy: goducks.com

EUGENE, Ore. - Under sunny blue skies at historic Howe Field, Portland State foiled Oregon, 4-0, in the Ducks' softball home opener Wednesday afternoon.

Viking pitcher Mandy Hill (6-7), last year's PCSC Pitcher of the Year and an All-Region Second Team selection, allowed a Duck hit in every inning except the sixth, yet still staked the shutout. She struck out two, walked two and allowed seven hits.

Oregon's Alicia Cook also pitched a complete game, and all four of her runs allowed were earned. The Elmira, Ore., native (5-6) struck out four, walked three and allowed seven hits.

A pair of Oregon freshmen had two hits each - second baseman Cortney Kivett (2-for-4) and designated player Monique Fuiava (2-for-3). Other Ducks with hits included junior left fielder Sari-Jane Jenkins (1-for-3) and sophomore center fielder Neena Bryant (1-for-3).

Kivett's hits extended her team-leading hitting streak to 10 games. Senior third baseman Joanna Gail, who also came into the contest with a nine-game hit streak, went 0-3 but boosted the team with her defense with several of her five assists on sharply-hit balls when she was playing in towards the plate.

Oregon stranded six in the game, including baserunners at second base in the first, fifth and seventh innings. The Ducks also had runners thrown out at second base in the second inning on a catcher to pitcher to second baseman pickoff, and at third base in a failed steal attempt in the fourth inning.

The Vikings scored their first two runs in the third inning when they loaded the bases with a walk and two singles. Cook then hit two consecutive batters with two outs to force both runs in before she forced a groundout to the shortstop for the final out.

PSU scored again in the fifth inning when shortstop Arielle Wiser singled with one out, stole second, and then scored on a shot by Hill over center fielder Neena Bryant's head that resulted in only a single.

The visitors' final run came in the sixth on a homer by first baseman Jana Rae Slayton over the 220-foot center field wall - her second of the season.

PSU's leading hitters were Hill (2-for, 2 RBI), Wiser (2-for-3) and Slayton (2-for-3, 1 home run, 1 RBI)

The Vikings (8-13) staked their second straight win over a Pac-10 opponent after a 4-2 win at No. 25 Washington Sunday. Their last win over Oregon came on May 3, 2006 when they won back-to-back games against Cook (3-2) and Amy Harris (0-4), while last year the Ducks cruised to an 11-1 win in their only meeting (with their other scheduled contests canceled because of the weather).

Oregon (13-10) now hits the road for its final non-conference tourney of the season, the UNLV Invitational, Friday-Sunday, March 7-9. The Ducks’ second trip to Vegas in three weeks includes one top-25 opponent, No. 20 Ohio State (11-4), and another that was previously ranked this year and is still receiving votes, host UNLV (13-8-1). UO has three games vs. returning NCAA qualifiers – one vs. the Buckeyes and two against Southern Utah.

After this weekend, Oregon returns home for 10 games in the Cascade Clash in five doubleheaders between Thursday-Tuesday, March 13-25 vs. Northern Illinois (3/13), Mississippi Valley State (3/14), Utah State (3/15), Idaho State (3/23) and UC Davis (3/25).

Source: goducks.com

Adding comments to these stories has been disabled. View the current sports stories Salem-News Sports