Ducks Set For Wednesday Game at Pacific, Weekend Series at Stanford

EUGENE, Ore. - The Oregon softball team is back on the road this week for a four-game stretch in California, beginning on Wednesday (6 p.m.) with a midweek game at Pacific.

After taking on the Tigers, Oregon will open its third Pac-12 series of the year on Friday (7 p.m.) at Stanford. Game two is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday, with the finale set for 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Ducks (11-16, 0-6 Pac-12) are looking to snap a 12-game skid that has included 11 games against top-25 teams.

HOW TO FOLLOW
All four games this week will be available to watch on free live streams, with links available on the softball schedule on GoDucks.com. Matt Tyra and KWVA Radio will have the call for all four games at 88.1 FM or kwvaradio.org/listen-live, and links to live stats can be found on GoDucks.com.

ABOUT PACIFIC
The Tigers (14-15) won nine out of 10 before getting swept by Marist in a doubleheader on Friday. Pacific is hitting .232 as a team and is led by Madison Kahwaty, who is batting .338 with a team-high four home runs. Hailey Reed is the ace of the pitching staff, boasting a 2.01 ERA with 85 strikeouts in 73.0 innings pitched. Oregon owns a five-game winning streak over Pacific, including an 8-0 victory in 2017.

ABOUT STANFORD
Stanford (21-4, 2-0) has gotten off to a hot start in 2019, picking up nonconference wins over teams like LSU, Michigan and Northwestern before going 2-0 against Cal to open its Pac-12 schedule. The Cardinal lead the Pac-12 in triples (14), and are led offensively by Teaghan Cowles' .376 batting average and .442 OBP. Stanford boasts a 2.05 ERA with a balanced pitching staff that features three pitchers with ERAs better than 2.15 in at least 29.0 innings. Oregon enters this weekend's series with a 19-game win streak against the Cardinal.

DUCKS GRINDING THROUGH LOADED SCHEDULE
Through their first 27 games, the Ducks own the nation's toughest strength of schedule and have played 15 games against teams ranked in the NFCA top 25, headlined by a win over then-No. 8 LSU on Feb. 15. Oregon has played 11 games against ranked teams during its current 12-game slide.

YOUNG DUCKS FLASHING THE LEATHER
Oregon's defense, which has often been comprised of all underclassmen around the infield, has been incredibly solid so far this season. The Ducks are tied for the Pac-12 lead and No. 5 nationally in fielding percentage (.979), committing a conference-low 14 errors through the first 27 games. Oregon also leads the conference in runners caught stealing (12), led by SO UT Shaye Bowden's Pac-12-best 10 from behind the plate.

DAIL ESTABLISHING WORKHORSE REPUTATION
SO LHP Jordan Dail has been an absolute workhorse so far in 2019 for the Ducks after transferring to Oregon from Virginia Tech. Dail (9-8, 3.97 ERA) leads the Pac-12 and is top-10 nationally with 116.1 innings pitched, 16 more than any other pitcher in the Pac-12, and she is tied for fourth in the conference with 117 strikeouts. The Forest, Va., native has thrown 10 complete games and two shutouts, including her first career no-hitter on Feb. 16 against Florida Atlantic, and she leads the Pac-12 in games started (17) and is tied for the lead in appearances (22). More on Dail on page 15.

FRESHMAN SIEVERS LEADING OFFENSIVE ATTACK
FR IF Jasmine Sievers is Oregon's leading hitter so far in 2019 with a .317 batting average and is tied for the team lead with five doubles. Sievers missed the first four games of the year rehabbing an injury, and then burst onto the scene in her debut by going 3-for-3 with a home run vs. Seattle. Sievers' second career home run was a huge one, a game-tying shot with one out in the seventh inning last Saturday against No. 7 Washington to send the game to extra innings.

DUCKS TAKING PATIENT PLATE APPROACH
Oregon has shown good patience at the plate so far this season, ranking third in the Pac-12 and in the top 25 nationally with 101 walks as a team. JR OF Haley Cruse is tied for third in the conference with 20 walks, eight more than she had in 130 at-bats last season, while FR IF Rachel Cid (16) is tied for eighth in the Pac-12. Cruse is also just outside the conference's top 20 with a team-best .442 on-base percentage.

FRESHMEN SHOULDERING HEAVY LOAD
The Ducks have relied heavily on freshmen early on in 2019 as IF Allee Bunker, IF Rachel Cid, UT Hannah Galey, IF Jasmine Sievers and OF Lexi Wagner have all started at least 17 games already, with Bunker, Cid, Sievers and Wagner all starting 23 or more. Sievers leads the Ducks with a .317 batting average, while Cid is tied for first on the team in home runs (4) and RBIs (17).

UP NEXT
Oregon will take a break from Pac-12 play with four games against Missouri and Pittsburgh next weekend in Columbia, Mo.