May 7, 2000

Box Score

EUGENE, Ore. - Senior Jill Robinson, already the career record holder for home runs at Oregon, added another record to her resume when she hit her 15th home run of the season to set a new single season mark as the 16th-ranked Oregon softball team ended their six-game losing streak with a 4-0 win over No. 9 California Sunday at Howe Field. The win improves Oregon to 34-24 on the season, 6-12 in Pac-10 play. Cal drops to 44-20, 5-13.

Robinson's home run came in the bottom of the first inning after a leadoff walk by fellow senior Andrea Gustafson. After Alyssa Laux popped up to the catcher and Missy Coe struck out, Robinson hit a towering fly ball over the wall in left field off yesterday's winner Jocelyn Forest (20-11) to give the Ducks a 2-0 lead, their first lead in a game since they beat Arizona State on April 28.

Cal's best chance to score came in the top of the second, when Veronica Nelson led off the frame with a walk to increase her Pac-10 leading total to 77 on the season. Kristi Robles then pinch ran for Nelson and Lisa Iancin sacrificed Robles to second. Pauline Duenas followed with a bloop single to short left field that wasn't deep enough to score Robles from second base and put runners on the corners with one out. But Oregon starter Connie McMurren (15-16) would strike out the next two hitters to end the threat and preserve the 2-0 lead.

The Ducks added to their lead in the bottom of the third, when Amber Hutchison led off the inning with a walk. After a Gustafson strikeout, Laux singled to center to put runners on first and second with one out. Coe then followed with a hard line out to left field that Duenas made a great play on to hold the runners at first and second. Forest then threw a wild pitch that moved the runners to second and third, and Cal decided not to let Robinson hurt them again and intentionally walked her.

But Andrea Vidlund would make Cal regret that decision, as she singled up the middle to drive in Hutchison and Laux to give the Ducks a commanding, 4-0 lead. Forest would retire the next hitter to get Cal out of the inning just allowing the two runs.

Cal is next in action Friday when they host No. 5 Arizona State at 2:00 p.m. at Levine-Fricke Field.