University of Oregon
5-6
North Carolina
10-2
Tar Heels Top Ducks 3-0 in Palm Springs Opener
02/19/09 | Softball
* A boxscore and play-by-play is located in the LINKS box to the right.
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. ? In Thursday's opening day action in the Cathedral City Classic, the University of Oregon softball team (5-6) fell 3-0 to No. 20 North Carolina (10-2) and one of the nation's top pitchers.
In her first game against a top-20 foe, freshman Samantha Skillingstad notched the complete game, struck out five, walked three, gave up four hits, and all three of her runs allowed were earned.
At the plate for the Ducks, sophomore second baseman Cortney Kivett had two hits ? a bunt single in the third inning and another slapped single in the sixth that died in front of the plate that she beat out at first base. Junior center fielder Neena Bryant also reached via a walk with two outs in the first inning, and stole second base for her team-leading 11th of the year in as many games. Kivett added her fifth stolen base of '09 in the latter at-bat.
In the field, senior shortstop Sari-Jane Jenkins turned UO's second double play of the season on a 6-3 groundout after UNC's Emily Troup walked to lead-off the inning.
The Tar Heels struck for three runs in the bottom of the third off Skillingstad who suffered her first lost since her collegiate debut vs. UCSB, 4-2, the opening weekend.
UNC's Breanna Brown knocked in the first two runs off a triple to left center field that bounced against the wall, after Kelli Wheeler led off with a single and pinch hitter Ally Blake walked. The next batter, Brittany McKinney, singled on a two-strike count to right center field to score Brown for the final run.
North Carolina's fourth and final hit came from Christine Knauer who singled with one out in the fifth. After she stole second base, Skillingstad ended the inning by forcing a fly to Jenkins and issuing her final strikeout of the game.
The Tar Heels' starting pitcher, returning second-team All-American and junior Danielle Spaulding, struck out 16 Ducks and walked one.
The Ducks have one more game Thursday evening, and face returning World Series advancer and No. 1 Alabama at 6 p.m. on the same Fenway Park field at the Big League Dreams Complex.
Afterwards in Friday's second-day action, UO will face Texas at 3 p.m. - another team that made the 2008 NCAA regional and is receiving votes in the national polls this week, as are the Ducks. On Saturday, UO then faces Georgia Tech and Nebraska at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. ? another pair of teams spotted in this week's polls receiving votes, while the Yellow Jackets were also NCAA qualifiers last year.
LINESCORE
North Carolina 3, Oregon 0 (Feb 19, 2009 at Palm Springs, Calif.)
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OREGON.............. 000 000 0 - 0 2 1 (5-6)
North Carolina...... 003 000 0 - 3 4 1 (10-2)
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Pitchers: OREGON - Skillingstad, Sam. North Carolina - Danielle Spaulding.
Win-Danielle Spaulding(5-0) Loss-Skillingstad, Sam(5-2) T-1:45 A-250
Weather: Sunny, 68, wind 0-3 mph
- www.GoDucks.com -
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Danielle Spaulding (5-0)
L: Skillingstad, Samantha (5-2)
Base Running:
SB: Kivett, Cortney 1 ; Bryant, Neena 1
Batting:
3B: Breanna Brown 1
RBI: Breanna Brown 2 ; Danielle Spaulding 1
SH: Brittany Robinson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ally Blake 1 ; Breanna Brown 1 ; Kelli Wheeler 1
SB: Christine Knauer 1
