University of Oregon
9-17
Seattle University
8-10
Ducks Top Redhawks in Twinbill Opener
03/24/09 | Softball
* A boxscore and play-by-play is located in the LINKS box to the right, and updated statistics are available above.
EUGENE - The University of Oregon softball team opened its doubleheader Tuesday with a comeback win over Seattle, 10-7, thanks to a pair of back-to-back homers early in the game, and a four-run sixth inning.
The Duck offense came alive early with four combined homers in the second and third innings - its overall season high in home runs in a game and one better than its three vs. Kentucky in the Louisville Slugger Classic Tourney in Las Vegas in mid-February.
In the second inning, sophomore Ashley Kivett and freshman Lindsey Chambers each hit their second home runs of the season with one out. The next inning, sophomore Monique Fuiava belted her team-leading eighth homer of the season and freshman Kelsey Chambers hit her fourth dinger of the season - and each came on 3-2 counts - and helped UO tie the game, 4-4. In the top half of the inning, Seattle cleanup hitter Jamie Foote answered with a grand slam of her own with two outs after two Duck infield errors helped load the bases.
However, the Ducks went back ahead, 6-4 in the fourth inning. Junior Blair Williamson scored the first run of the inning from third base on a throwing error by the catcher to second base on a steal by sophomore Cortney Kivett, and senior Sari-Jane Jenkins added an RBI single.
Seattle came back with three more runs in the sixth inning on a three-run homer by Jessica Amador that was preceded by a double and another Oregon infield error.
For UO (9-17), freshman pitcher Samantha Skillingstad (7-6) earned the win after she pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, struck out one, walked one and gave up only one hit. The Spokane, Wash., native came on in the sixth inning after Amador's homer put Seattle up 7-6.
The Ducks rallied in the bottom half of the inning, as Cortney Kivett and senior Sari-Jane Jenkins opened with singles. Junior Neena Bryant and sophomore Monique Fuiava added RBI singles to put UO back ahead, 8-7. Two batters later, junior Carlyn Re rapped a 2-RBI double to left center field to drive in UO's final runs.
The top eight hitters in the Duck lineup all hit safely, and Cortney Kivett tied her career high in hits in a game (4-for-4, 2 runs). Others that had multiple hits included Jenkins (3-for-4, 1 run, 1 RBI) and Fuiava (2-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 1 walk). Ducks with single hits included Bryant (1-for-4, 1 RBI), Kelsey Chambers (1-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI), Re (1-for-4, 2 RBI), Ashley Kivett (1-for-4, 1 run, 1 RBI) and Lindsey Chambers (1-for-3, 1 run, 1 RBI).
On the mound for UO, freshman Mikayla Endicott pitched the first 5 1/3 innings, struck out four, walked one, and only two of her seven runs allowed were earned.
For Seattle (8-10), starter Kelsey Reynolds (3-7) struck out one, walked two, gave up 14 hits, and all 10 runs allowed were earned.
Fuiava's eight homers this season are only two away from the 10th-best mark in a season (10) which is shared by several players, including Bryant who had the tally as both a sophomore and freshman in 2008 and '07.
The two teams will meet again immediately after for the second game of a doubleheader in the first-ever meetings between the two Northwest teams.
LINESCORE
OREGON 10, Seattle 7 (Mar 24, 2009 at Eugene, Ore.)
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Seattle............. 004 003 0 - 7 4 1 (8-10)
OREGON.............. 022 204 X - 10 14 3 (9-17)
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Pitchers: Seattle - Reynolds. OREGON - Endicott, Mikayla; Skillingstad, Sam(7-6).
Loss-Reynolds(3-7) T-1:50 A-236
HR SEAT - Foote (5); Amador (2).
HR ORE - Fuiava, Monique (8); Chambers, Kelsey (4); Kivett, Ashley (2); Chambers, Lindsey (2).
Weather: 54, partly cloudy, wind 0-5mph
- www.GoDucks.com -
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Skillingstad, Samantha (7-6)
L: Reynolds (3-7)
Batting:
2B: Foote 1
HR: Foote 1 ; Amador 1
RBI: Foote 4 ; Amador 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Petersen 1 ; Foote 2 ; Carlson 1 ; Amador 1 ; Mathison 1 ; Antich 1
Batting:
2B: Re, Carlyn 1
HR: Fuiava, Monique 1 ; Chambers, Kelsey 1 ; Kivett, Ashley 1 ; Chambers, Lindsey 1
RBI: Jenkins, Sari-Jane 1 ; Bryant, Neena 1 ; Fuiava, Monique 2 ; Chambers, Kelsey 1 ; Re, Carlyn 2 ; Kivett, Ashley 1 ; Chambers, Lindsey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kivett, Cortney 2 ; Jenkins, Sari-Jane 1 ; Fuiava, Monique 2 ; Chambers, Kelsey 2 ; Kivett, Ashley 1 ; Chambers, Lindsey 1 ; Williamson, Blair 1
SB: Kivett, Cortney 2 ; Jenkins, Sari-Jane 1 ; Bryant, Neena 1
