April 10, 2010

Final Stats

EUGENE, Ore. -The No. 15/13 California softball team fell to No. 21 Oregon, 1-0, on Saturday afternoon at Howe Field. A home run in the second gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead that they would not relinquish. The Golden Bears fall to 30-10 overall and 1-4 in the Pac-10 while Oregon now stands at 28-6 and 4-1 in conference play.

In the first inning, both squads left one runner stranded each with Valerie Arioto walking and Neena Bryant reaching on an error at short.

After Carlyn Re grounded out to second to begin the bottom of the second, the game changed completely. Kaitlin Vitek saw one ball before connecting with the second pitch for a home run. Her solo shot, which went to right field, was her first roundtripper of 2010 and gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the third, Elia Reid registered Cal's first hit of the game with a single to center field. A ground out by Jamia Reid and a wild pitch allowed Elia Reid to reach third, but Shannon Thomas struck out swinging in a seven-pitch at bat to end the inning.

The Bears had a hit in the sixth - single to center by Thomas - and one in the seventh - a Jace Williams double to right - but they could not piece together any runs and Oregon took the conference game.

Freshman Jolene Henderson pitched all six innings, allowing just two hits, one walk and the one earned run. She struck out five Ducks.

Sam Skillingstad and Jessica Moore split the duties in the circle for Oregon with Skillingstad earning the win to improve to 9-4 while Henderson is now 13-5.

The three-game series concludes Sunday at noon at Howe Field.