University of Oregon
24-3, 4-0
Utah
20-10, 0-4
Ducks Take Game One in Utah, 4-2
03/21/15 | Softball
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Despite a pair of seventh inning errors, the No. 2 ranked Oregon softball team held on to defeat Utah, 4-2, on Saturday in the first of a three-game series in Salt Lake City.
The Ducks improved to 24-3 (4-0 Pac-12) with the series opening win while the Utes slipped to 20-10 (0-4). Oregon has beaten Utah 14 straight times and the Ducks have won eight straight games overall this season.
How It Happened: Jenna Lilley put the Ducks on the board in the first when she singled in Alyssa Gillespie, who reached on a leadoff walk.
Lilley drove in another run in the third when she tripled down the right field line, scoring Janie Takeda. A single by Janelle Lindvall later in the third scored Lilley.
In the sixth inning Nikki Udria lofted a sacrifice fly to right to score Lexy Beaudrie-Pierson, who pinch ran for Geri Ann Glasco after a leadoff single.
Oregon took a 4-0 lead into the seventh inning when a pair of errors allowed the Utes to score two unearned runs. With a runner at first, starter Cheridan Hawkins forced a lineout to left and a flyout to right center to end the game and pick up the win.
Hawkins improved to 12-2 on the season after allowing no earned runs (two total) on six hits and one walk with four strikeouts. The junior tossed her eighth complete game. Hawkins has allowed just four earned runs all season in 80.1 innings pitched.
Stat Sheet: Oregon's freshmen continued to shine as Lilley and Gwen Svekis each went 2-for-4 at the plate. Lilley singled and hit a triple while Svekis singled and doubled.
Fun Fact: Hawkins has the second lowest ERA in the nation at 0.35.
Up Next: The Ducks meet Utah for the second game of the series at 1 p.m. PT on Sunday in Salt Lake City.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hawkins, Cheridan (12-2)
L: Nieto (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Svekis, Gwen 1 ; Lindvall, Lauren 1
3B: Lilley, Jenna 1
RBI: Lilley, Jenna 2 ; Lindvall, Janelle 1 ; Udria, Nikki 1
SH: Takeda, Janie 1 ; Lilley, Jenna 1
SF: Udria, Nikki 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gillespie, Alyssa 1 ; Takeda, Janie 1 ; Lilley, Jenna 1 ; Beaudrie-Pierson, Lexy 1
SB: Takeda, Janie 1
CS: Gillespie, Alyssa 1 ; Lilley, Jenna 1
Batting:
2B: Dickman 1 ; Pacheco 1
RBI: Pacheco 1
SH: Urtez 1
SF: Mendenhall 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stewart 1 ; Woodard 1
