Oregon softball swept the No. 17 Wildcats in a three-game series this weekend. The sixth-ranked Ducks are now 36-6 overall and boast a 13-2 record in the competitive Pac-12 conference.
In the first game of the series on Friday, scoring came late for the Ducks: A two-run homer from junior Kailee Cuico in the sixth inning, though, sparked the Ducks’ momentum at bat. Soon after, Janelle Lindvall secured the win with another two-run homer, bringing the score to 5-3.
“I didn’t know until I saw it go over,” Cuico said after the game. “I needed to pick myself up and my teammates. We’re a special group this year, and everyone wants it — and it helps a lot to have all nine players out there and the dugout. We want it more than the other team, and that’s how we play when it comes down to those moments.”
Due to a stellar performance from freshman pitcher Cheridan Hawkins on Saturday, the Ducks captured their second victory against Arizona, 8-0, in five innings. She pitched a no-hitter and had 11 strikeouts for the game. Her effort marked Oregon’s first Pac-12 no-hitter since 2006 and the fourth ever in overall league play.
Although it was Hawkins’ performance that stood out for Oregon that game, the Ducks were still solid at the bat. Sophomore Janie Takeda led the Ducks at the plate, going 3-4 with two RBI.
“Offensively, we did a much better job getting on base today,” said Oregon head coach Mike White. “We set it up for our big hitters and executed pretty well … so, it was a good day for us, and they did what they were supposed to do.”
The Ducks were once again led by strong pitching in their final game against Arizona on Sunday, winning 9-0 in five innings. Senior Jessica Moore pitched a perfect game to earn the Ducks a first-ever sweep against the Wildcats, retiring all 15 batters and earning her third no-hitter of her career. Catcher Alexa Peterson went 2-2 with four RBI and a pair of homers.
With the emergence of Hawkins, Moore has been able to rest more this season, making the Ducks more of a threat on the mound every game.
“It’s incredible. Now we get to rest Jess a little bit,” said White. “Just the difference in the speeds between the two; it’s a great luxury to have. (Hawkins) has meant a lot to this team as far as an addition.”
This is season, the Ducks are off to their best-ever Pac-12 start under White; they also hold the top spot in the Pac-12 standings.
Oregon will travel to Portland for a doubleheader on Tuesday for an NCAA regional qualifier against Portland State. The Ducks will then travel to southern California this weekend to face UCLA for a three-game series.