No. 13 Ducks Edge Illini, 2-1

Sunday, March 6

Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

6:00 AM

University of Oregon

17-4

Illinois

9-6

Illinois

OREGON

03/06/11 | Softball

Box Score

By: GoDucks.com

*A boxscore and play-by-play are located in the LINKS box to the right, and a more detailed recap will be posted shortly.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The No. 13 University of Oregon softball team (17-4) survived a bases-loaded seventh-inning rally by Illinois (9-6) to win 2-1 Sunday in Citrus Classic final day action.

Remaining perfect on the season, junior starter Samantha Skillingstad (6-0) struck out seven, walked two, allowed one hit and no runs. Sunday's stats also moved up her the Duck all-time pitching careers list in strikeouts (fifth, 359) and appearances (ninth-tie).

UO scored its first run of the game in the first inning after freshman Courtney Ceo singled via a lead-off bunt for the second straight game. The Meadow Vista, Calif., native advanced to second on a ground-out, stole third base, then scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Kaylan Howard.

In the fifth inning, senior Monique Fuiava drilled her third homer of the season, and moved into a tie for ninth all-time for UO on its career list.

Head Coach Mike White turned to junior Mikayla Endicott on the mound in the sixth inning. The Roseburg, Ore., pitched an inning, struck out one, walked two, yielded no hits, and her run allowed was earned.

Registering the team's first save of the season, sophomore Jessica Moore entered the game with two runners on and no out in the seventh.

A ground-out to third base and strikeout made it two outs, but a walk loaded the bases. The next hitter, D Zymkowitz hit a chopper to first base that Fuiava fielded cleanly but the second baseman didn't cover first base to allow the run to score. Moore responded by forcing H Pinchback to line out to shortstop for the final out of the game.

The returning NCAA qualifiers also threatened in the fifth inning, when a lead-off walk and two-out walk put a pair of runners on for the Illini for the first time. However, a sacrifice fly ended the inning.

Illini starter Pepper Gay (5-3) struck out seven, walked three, allowed three hits, and both of her runs allowed were earned.

Looking ahead, the Ducks face their sixth and final NCAA tournament retunee Illinois State immediately after on Sunday morning.

LINESCORE

#13 OREGON 2, Illinois 1 (Mar 06, 2011 at Orlando, Fla.)
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Illinois............ 000 000 1 - 1 2 0 (9-6)
#13 OREGON.......... 100 100 X - 2 3 1 (17-4)
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Pitchers: Illinois - Gay, Pepper and . OREGON - Skillingstad, Sam; Endicott, Mikayla(6); Moore, Jessica(7) and . Win-Skillingstad, Sam(6-0) Save-Moore, Jessica(1) Loss-Gay, Pepper(5-3) T-2:04 A-250. HR ORE - Fuiava, Monique. Weather: 57, cloudy, wind 1-4 mph.

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