Ducks Blank NMS; Arendsen Earns 200th Win

Freshman second baseman Cortney Kivett extended her hit streak to 15 games with her 1-for-3 day and was one of six Ducks that collected hits.

Kathy Arendsen Photo courtesy: goducks.com

LAS VEGAS - In the University of Oregon softball team’s finale of the UNLV Invitational Sunday, junior Melissa Rice staked her third win of the tournament with a 2-0 win over New Mexico State at Eller Media Stadium.

The victory also gave sixth-year head coach Kathy Arendsen the 200th win of her Duck career. Oregon’s all-time wins leader now owns a Duck career mark of 200-124 (.617) and an 572-399 overall record in her 18th year as a collegiate coach after prior stops at Mississippi State, Yale, Eastern Illinois and Western Connecticut.

In her second combined shutout of the season, Rice (7-4) gave up only three hits in her six innings, struck out five and walked one. For the tourney, she staked a 0.51 earned run average and allowed only one earned run in her 17 2/3 innings, struck out 17 and walked six.

“I was better this week at not putting so much pressure on myself and not worrying about making the perfect pitch,” Rice said. “When I get into tense situations, I responded in a more composed way. “I gained a lot of confidence from how our defense played both today and earlier in the tournament. I have no doubt in the ability of our fielders to make any play. Our run supply was also great, and gave me some extra flexibility.”

For Oregon (17-11), senior third baseman Joanna Gail knocked in the Ducks' first run in the second inning with a double to left center field, after freshman Monique Fuiava led off the inning with a single to left field.

In the fifth inning, junior left fielder Sari-Jane Jenkins added an insurance RBI single for the game’s final run. Sophomore first baseman Carlyn Re began the inning by poking a single through the left side of the infield on a 2-2 pitch, then advanced to second on a passed ball. Freshman second baseman Cortney Kivett followed with a single over the third baseman’s head that advanced Re to third base before Jenkins’ single.

After a game-opening single in the first by center fielder Kandis Jones, Rice retired 17 straight batters before a two-out single in the sixth inning, that was followed by a groundout to end the inning. NMSU nearly garnered its first extra base hit in the top of the fifth inning when clean-up hitter Hoku Nohara smashed a drive to deep center field, but Duck centerfielder Neena Bryant raced back and caught the ball over her head on the run.

However, in the seventh inning NMSU forced a pitching change when the first two batters got on via a walk and a single to center field. Senior pitcher Alicia Cook came in to notch her fourth save of the season and second of the weekend. The Elmira, Ore., native forced a lineout to senior shortstop Lovena Chaput and a game-ending 5-3 double play to Gail who stepped on third base and fired to first base.

For the game, freshman second baseman Cortney Kivett extended her hit streak to 15 games with her 1-for-3 day and was one of six Ducks that collected hits with Jenkins (1-for-3), Bryant (1-for-3), Fuiava (1-for-3), Gail (1-for-3) and Re (1-for-2).

For the Aggies (13-15), starter Kim Watson (9-9) struck out eight, walked one, allowed six hits and both of her runs allowed were earned.

In the five-game tourney, Cortney Kivett led the Ducks in batting (.526), hits (10) and stolen bases (5), while two others also batted .500 - Bryant (.500, 8-for-16, 4 runs, 1 home run, 5 RBI) and Fuiava (.500, 6-for-12, 1 home run, 2 RBI, 3 walks). Cook posted a 1-1 mark and 2.20 ERA on the mound, and gave up four earned runs, struck out 10 and walked eight in her 16 1/3 innings.

Earlier in the tourney, UO opened with wins over Southern Utah (10-6 Friday, 4-2 Saturday) and UNLV (7-1 Saturday), and their lone defeat came to No. 20 Ohio State (7-0).

“I was really pleased with how our team came together,” Arendsen said. “Our players are playing more relaxed and composed, and our pitchers really stepped up with some great performances. Many of our younger faces are looking more and more comfortable in the field and in their positions in the lineup. We’re looking forward to coming home and continuing to play well in front of our wonderful fans.”

Looking ahead, the Ducks return home for 10 games in the Cascade Clash in five doubleheaders between Thursday-Tuesday, March 13-25 vs. Northern Illinois (Thursday, 3/13), Mississippi Valley State (Friday, 3/14), Utah State (Saturday, 3/15), Idaho State (Sunday, 3/23) and UC Davis (Monday, 3/25).

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