University of Oregon
14-0
Hawai'i
4-6
Kleist Throws No-No, Bats Erupt to Wrap Undefeated Weekend
02/25/17 | Softball
SOPHOMORE MEGAN KLEIST THROWS FIRST NO-HITTER OF CAREER, DUCKS EXPLODE FOR 17 RUNS TO BEAT HAWAI'I AND REMAIN UNDEFEATED
HONOLULU - Sophomore Megan Kleist tossed the first no-hitter of her career and the Oregon offense erupted for 17 runs on 14 hits to complete an undefeated weekend at the Bank of Hawaii Invitational with a 17-0 rout of Hawai'i on Saturday afternoon.
The No. 5 ranked Ducks (14-0) remain undefeated to start their 2017 season.
How it Happened: Kleist was in control from start to finish, opening the game with a pair of strikeouts in the first inning. Hawaii (4-6) got a runner aboard on an Oregon error in the first, but Kleist went on to retire the next 10 after that before a hit-by-pitch. The sophomore set down the next four in order after that to complete the first no-no of her career, sealing it and the win by fielding a comebacker for the final out.
The Ducks used the long ball to jump on the Rainbow Wahine in the first inning. Danica Mercado ripped an opposite-field, two-run home run to open the scoring, her third of the season, and Nikki Udria followed two batters later with her own two-run blast to the opposite field to give Oregon a quick 4-0 lead.
Oregon tacked on two more runs in the second inning with the help of a Hawai'i error. Mercado beat out an infield single with two runners on, and a throwing error on the play allowed a run to score. Gwen Svekis picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly a batter later to push the Ducks' lead to 6-0.
Freshman Shannon Rhodes got in on the action to kick off a four-run fourth inning, crushing a solo home run to left field for the first of her collegiate career. After the next three Ducks reached, Udria picked up her third RBI of the game with a bases-loaded walk, and Mia Camuso followed with a two-run single to push Oregon into double-digits, 10-0.
Oregon kept up the offensive onslaught in the fifth, erupting for seven runs on five hits with huge contributions from its bench. After pinch-hitter Sammie Puentes doubled home Darya Kaboli-Nejad, freshman Haley Cruse unloaded for her first-career home run, a three-run jack that left the field in a hurry. Camuso picked up her third RBI with a run-scoring double two batter later, and then April Utecht joined the long-ball fun with her first of the season, a two-run blast to straightaway centerfield.
In the Circle: Kleist finished with six strikeouts, no walk and the one hit batter while keeping the Rainbow Wahine out of the hit column. It was the second complete-game effort of the weekend for Kleist.
At the Plate: The Ducks produced up and down the lineup, with Mercado (3-for-3, 2 RBIs), Udria (1-for-2, 3 RBIs), Utecth (1-for-2, 2 RBIs), Cruse (1-for-1, 3 RBIs) and Rhodes (2-for-2, RBI) each leaving the yard. Nine different Ducks tallied hits in the game, while eight drove in runs. Oregon walked six times without striking out.
On the Weekend: Oregon received stellar pitching throughout the weekend from their entire rotation, led by Kleist, who went 2-0 in two starts while allowing only two runs on six hits through 12 innings pitched with 13 strikeouts and no walks. Freshman Maggie Balint went 2-0 and added a save in three games, allowing only two runs in 13.2 innings pitched with 17 punch-outs and three walks. Freshman Miranda Elish did not allow a run in 7.1 innings pitched. Combined, the Ducks posted a team ERA of .085 with 39 strikeouts to just four walks.
At the plate, Mercado hit .563 (9-for-16) with two home runs, a double and three RBIs. Udria went yard three times while hitting .538 (7-for-13) with a team-best nine RBIs. Svekis (.538, 3 RBIs) and Camuso (.500, 5 RBIs) also had very strong weekends for the Oregon, as did multiple other Ducks as they hit .363 and scored 36 runs in the tournament.
Up Next: The Ducks will head back to Eugene before heading to Columbia, Missouri, next weekend to play in the Missouri Invitational.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kleist, Megan (5-0)
L: Hitchcock, Brittany (3-4)
Batting:
2B: Mercado, Danica 1 ; Camuso, Mia 1 ; Puentes, Sammie 1
HR: Mercado, Danica 1 ; Cruse, Haley 1 ; Udria, Nikki 1 ; Utecht, April 1 ; Rhodes, Shannon 1
RBI: Mercado, Danica 2 ; Cruse, Haley 3 ; Svekis, Gwen 1 ; Udria, Nikki 3 ; Camuso, Mia 3 ; Utecht, April 2 ; Rhodes, Shannon 1 ; Puentes, Sammie 1
SF: Svekis, Gwen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mack, Alexis 3 ; Elish, Miranda 1 ; Mercado, Danica 2 ; Cruse, Haley 1 ; Svekis, Gwen 3 ; Udria, Nikki 1 ; Camuso, Mia 1 ; Utecht, April 1 ; Kaboli-Nejad, Darya 1 ; Rhodes, Shannon 2 ; Puentes, Sammie 1
HBP: Svekis, Gwen 1
Base Running:
HBP: Morales, Heather 1
