Tucson, AZ -
Arizona committed a season-high-tying three errors, leading to
three unearned Oregon runs, as the No. 1 Ducks downed the ninth-ranked
Wildcats, 7-3 in the series opener.
A two-run Kelsey Rodriguez home run and two Chelsea Goodacre
homers were not enough as Oregon ace Cheridan Hawkins (29-4) struck out nine
and walked just one in her complete-game effort. The Wildcats (40-12, 13-9
Pac-12) managed three runs on six hits against the southpaw.
Estela Piñon (16-6) countered with solid complete-game effort of
her own, allowing just four earned runs with six strikeouts in the contest. The
senior scattered 11 hits and was able to strand 10 runners behind her.
In addition to Kelsey Rodriguez's two-run homer, her second such
in as many games, Katiyana Mauga registered an RBI double, her 53rd run batted
in of the season.
A Piñon walk and a pair of Arizona errors plated an Oregon run
in the first. Alyssa Gillespie added a two-RBI double to give the Ducks
(48-6-1, 2-1 Pac-12) a 3-0 lead after an inning and a half.
Courtney Rodriguez drew a leadoff walk to begin the bottom of
the third. After Hawkins retired the next two Wildcats, Courtney's sister
Kelsey hit a two-run bomb to bring the Cats within a run.
After three Oregon singles loaded the bases with no one out, an
error and a hit batsman brought in a pair of runs. The bases remained loaded
with no one out, but Piñon retired the next three batters to leave them
stranded.
Janelle Lindvall extended Oregon's lead with a leadoff homer in
the sixth. Later in the inning, Koral Costa singled in a run to make it 7-2
Ducks.
The Cats got one run back in the bottom half when Chelsea
Goodacre doubled and Katiyana Mauga doubled her home to make it 7-3 after six.
Arizona and Oregon meet in game two of the series Saturday at
7:30 p.m. PDT on the Pac-12 Network.
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