The Ducks will not be headed to the WCWS in Oklahoma City this year.
After a season filled with a first ever Pac-12 title and an impressive three-game stand in the Eugene Regional at Howe Field, the Ducks fell just short of reaching their ultimate goal of winning an NCAA title. The No. 14-seeded Nebraska came to town as underdogs and left with a WCWS bid after winning games one and three.
Nebraska was the better team in the three-game series, and the Ducks simply did not perform at the level they were expected to play at. Disappointment has indeed stunned the sold out home crowd and veteran team at Howe Field for now, but there is always a next year as the Ducks try and recoup for next season.
“Well obviously it wasn’t the result we wanted in the last game, but I’m very proud of the way the ladies fought back in a very tough game,” head coach Mike White said after the loss. “To the four seniors who meant so much to this program: Unfortunately we couldn’t quite get them through to the World Series again, but we’ve taken a huge step forward under their guidance, their leadership and as I told the team, I think they’ve left a pretty good legacy behind them and it is something for us to build on going on to the future.”
The Ducks did not get off to the start that they were hoping for after coming off such an emotional game two. Momentum and fate seemed to be on their side, but as soon as the first inning began, things just didn’t seem to click on the defensive end.
To begin the first inning, Nebraska racked up three consecutive singles to set up an eventual two-run score. With the bases loaded and two outs still remaining, designated player Courtney Breault stepped up to the plate and made contact with what was eventually turned into a crucial RBI double to give the Cornhuskers an early 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the inning.
The Ducks would answer back quickly however after infielder Janie Takeda led-off with a single to set up an eventual Oregon score. With no outs to be seen, Takeda stole second just moments before short stop Courtney Ceo advanced her to third with a single. After a Janelle Lindvall walk, the bases were loaded with one out as center fielder Samantha Pappas stepped up to the plate and recorded an impressive RBI double to tie the game up at 2-2 heading into the second inning.
After going scoreless in the second inning, Nebraska came out in the third and made some key plays to give themselves a slight edge moving forward. With the first two batters in the lineup going out back-to-back, the Ducks were in prime position to close out the inning. But after a Breault single and a Hailey Decker double, the Ducks were once again in a difficult situation with a lone out remaining. With runners on second and third, short stop Alicia Armstrong calmly stepped up and recorded a late inning RBI single to regain the lead at 3-2 heading into the fourth inning. After coming up with two consecutive outs to start the inning, the Ducks took a tough break to end the inning, and it may have shifted the momentum back to the Cornhuskers for the time being.
Aside from a Mattie Fowler RBI single in the sixth inning, no other runs would be scored. After getting three quick outs to head into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Ducks not only had one final chance to save their WCWS bid, but also to continue play in the postseason. Things were looking up for the Ducks after coming up with two singles back-to-back, but after a Takeda tag at second and a final double play to end the game, the Ducks 2013 season came to an abrupt end.
Struggles with batting were the Ducks’ biggest problem, and it ended up biting them in the end. After hitting so well during the regular season, the Ducks simply hit a slump at the wrong place and the wrong time.
In her final game as a college pitcher, Jessica Moore finished with one strikeout in three innings. Despite having a disappointing end to her senior season, Moore will be leaving plenty of memories at Howe Field as she exits with the most strikeouts (1005), most wins (100), along with many other impressive records that will forever be embraced at Howe Field. Along with her great senior teammates, Moore and this Oregon squad will have left a deep imprint on the Oregon softball program and there is nothing to be ashamed of in regards to the success of their season this year.
“I think it’s just sad playing your last game at Howe Field,” said an emotional Jessica Moore.
When asked about being shocked about the outcome, Moore said, “We knew Nebraska was a good team and they were going to come out and play hard. I’m not going to say I’m shell-shocked because we were anticipating them being a good team; we weren’t expecting just to pound all over them. I’m proud of our team and proud of everything we have done and we played a great series.”
On his final thoughts about what Moore has accomplished in her four years as a Duck, coach White has this to say.
“She (Moore) left her heart out there on the field,” White said. “Even though this may be her last game, her name is going to be on Howe Field, there’s no doubt about it. She’s in the record books, she’s got the most wins, she’s got the most strikeouts. Jess Moore is Howe Field right now as far as a pitcher goes, and so we’re extremely proud of her and everything she has done for this program.”
Though the 2013 season has come to a close, there were many positives to take away. One being the emergence of freshman pitcher Cheridan Hawkins, who recorded a ridiculous 11 strikeouts in the Ducks game two victory.
The Ducks will be returning a core group of players in Ceo, Cuico and Hawkins, but they will also be losing their senior crop of players in Moore, Pappas, Allie Burger and Kaylan Howard. It was without a doubt one of the most successful seasons in Oregon softball history, but it was unfortunately cut short.
“I feel good (about the future), obviously we got freshmen with a lot of exposure,” White said. “Obviously we have some more work to do, and we will have to rebuild after losing such a great crop of seniors who meant so much to this program, it’s going to be difficult to replace them; you don’t replace them, you just have to try and rebuild and see what we can do.”
In regards to how Pappas was feeling with this being her last game as a college player, she had this to say.
“I can’t even put it into words,” said an emotional Pappas in regards to the mesh of emotions she was feeling. “It’s happiness how good our senior class did, how good our career was, and it sucks it had to end right now. Our program has so much more, and it sucks that we have to end right now.”