No. 11 Arizona Comes Back After Bryant's Blast

Sunday, March 29

Tucson, Ariz.

11:00 AM

University of Oregon

10-20, 0-4

Arizona

31-7, 3-0

Oregon

Arizona

03/29/09 | Softball

Box Score

By: GoDucks.com

* A boxscore and play-by-play is located in the LINKS box to the right, and a link to updated season statistics is available above.

TUCSON, Ariz. - After a three-run home run to center field by junior Neena Bryant put the University of Oregon softball team up 6-4 in the seventh inning, No. 11 Arizona answered with a pair of homers in the bottom of the inning to win, 7-6, Sunday at UA's Hillenbrand Stadium.

UO almost celebrated another homer the next at-bat as sophomore Monique Fuiava lined a shot that right fielder Karissa Buchanan nabbed on the run with her arm outstretched over her head, then immediately barrelled into the fence but still held onto the ball.

However, UA quickly answered in the bottom half of the seventh. The leadoff hitter Brittany Lastrapes opened with a walk off Duck starter and freshman Samantha Skillingstad, and K'Lee Arredondo homered to center field to tie the game, 7-7. Sophomore Brittany Rumfelt came in and immediately surrendered the winning home run to Jenae Leles to right field.

In her six innings of work, Skillingstad struck out four, walked six and five of her six runs allowed were earned. Rumfelt (1-6) took the loss and her run allowed was earned.

At the plate, six Ducks hit safely, led by Bryant who went 2-for-4 with one run and a season-high 4 RBI that she also knocked in earlier in the season vs. Southern Mississippi.

Other Oregon players that hit safely included Fuiava (1-for-4, double, 1 run), juniors Blair Williamson (1-for-2, 1 run, 1 walk) and Carlyn Re (1-for-3, 1 RBI), and freshmen Lindsey Chambers (1-for-3, 1 RBI) and Kelsey Chambers (1-for-1).

In the second inning, Lindsey Chambers got UO on the board with a single to shallow right field that scored Williamson who had initially got on via a perfect bunt that died in front of home plate, then advanced on a bunt by Re.

With UA up 3-1 in the third, UO scored two more runs to tie the game. With one out, junior Neena Bryant tripled to center field and scored senior Sari-Jane Jenkins who had walked just prior. After a fielder's choice grounder by Fuiava forced Bryant out at home, Fuiava moved to second on a walk by Williamson, then scored on a single to center field by Re.

UA scored again in the bottom half of the third to go back up 4-3, and neither team scored again until Bryant's shot in the seventh.

With one out in the Ducks' final at-bat, pinch hitter and freshman Kelsey Chambers got the offense started with a single off the glove of the diving second baseman. Sophomore Cortney Kivett followed with a walk, and after a lineout to left field by senior Sari-Jane Jenkins, Bryant cracked her fourth homer of the year and 24th of her career to move into a tie for seventh all-time for UO with her former teammate Ann Marie Topps.

For the game, the Wildcats had only three players hit safely ? the first three batters in their lineup ? Lastrapes (3-for-3, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 1 walk), Arredondo (2-for-4, 2 runs, 4 RBI) and Leles (2-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 1 walk).

Arizona starter Sarah Akamine pitched the first 2 1/3 innings, struck out two, walked two, and all three of her runs allowed were earned. Lindsey Sisk relieved and pitched 2/3 of an inning, struck out one, walked two and both of her runs allowed were earned. Jennifer Martinez pitched the final 4 1/3 innings, struck out three, walked one and all three of her runs allowed were earned.

In the bottom of the first, UA scored its first two runs after Lastrapes opened the game with a single, and K'lee Arredondo followed with a two-run homer to center field. In the third, another Lastrapes single to right field scored a runner from third, while a diving catch by Bryant in center field earlier in the inning prevented another potential UA base runner. Arizona's third run also came on a homer by Leles to open the third inning and put UA back up 4-3.

Overall in UO's three weekend games in the desert, Williamson led the Ducks in hitting (.400, 2-for-5), and crushed her first career home run over the center field wall vs. Arizona Saturday night. Other Ducks that hit over .300 for the weekend included Bryant (3-for-9, 1 run, 1 triple, 1 home run, 4 RBI) and Kelsey Chambers (1-for-3), while Fuiava also had multiple hits (2-for-8, 1 run, 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 walk).

In UO's other games this weekend, the Ducks lost to Arizona, 11-3, Saturday night and to No. 6 Arizona State, 9-0, Friday evening.

Looking ahead, the Ducks return home to Howe Field host Portland State for a 5 p.m. game, Wednesday April 1. The Ducks then resume Pac-10 play at home next weekend and host No. 12 California, Friday at April 3 at 4 p.m., and No. 3 Stanford, Saturday-Sunday, April 4-5 at 1 p.m. and noon, respectively.

LINESCORE

ARIZONA 7, OREGON 6 (Mar 29, 2009 at Tucson, Ariz.)
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OREGON.............. 012 000 3 - 6 7 1 (10-20, 0-4 Pac-10)
ARIZONA............. 211 000 3 - 7 7 0 (31-7, 3-0 Pac-10)
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Pitchers: OREGON - Skillingstad, Sam; Rumfelt, Brittany(7). ARIZONA - Akamine, Sarah;
Sisk, Lindsey(3); Martinez, Jennifer(3).
Win-Martinez, Jennifer(7-1) Loss-Rumfelt, Brittany(1-6) T-2:13 A-2214
HR ORE - Bryant, Neena.
HR ARIZ - Arredondo, K'Lee 2; Leles, Jenae 2.
Weather: 77, sunny, wind 2-6 mph
Skillingstad faced 2 batters in the 7th.
Rumfelt faced 1 batter in the 7th.

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