The No. 10 Oregon softball team beat Cal State Northridge 12-1 in five innings today to finish the Easton Desert Classic with a 5-0 record. The Ducks improved to 9-1 on the season and have won nine straight after losing their season opener to Cal Poly.
Oregon belted four homers in the game, accounting for five runs. Alexa Peterson started the power surge in the bottom of the first when she took Brianna Elder deep for her second home run of the season, a two-run shot to right. Kailee Cuico added one in the third with a solo home run to right, her second of the season.
Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Nikki Udria reached on a fielder’s choice and eventually scored on an error, one of three committed by the Matadors. Karine Shaver and Sara Goodrum also crossed the plate on the play to cap off a four-run inning.
With a 7-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth, Jamie Rae Sullivan collected her first hit of the season — a solo homer to center on a 2-2 pitch. Three batters later, Cuico brought home Peterson and Stevie Jo Knapp on a triple down the right field line. The extra base hit wrapped up a 2-for-3 day for Cuico in which she drove in three runs.
A Jasmine Smithson-Willett sacrifice fly and Koral Costa’s solo blast brought Oregon’s run total to five for the inning and 12 for the game, the sixth time Oregon has scored nine or more runs this season.
Despite the high run total, only one player (Cuico) recorded a multi-hit game. Five walks and the aforementioned errors were very beneficial to Oregon’s offense, which totaled just seven hits. Six players recorded an RBI for the Ducks.
Karissa Hovinga (4-0) gave up a run on three hits over four innings, walked none and struck out two. The junior’s ERA is down to a team-leading 1.68. Elder (3-2) got roughed up in her 1.2 innings, allowing three runs on two hits and three walks. Daphne Pofek, Aliyah Ricks and Jordan Sauceda all allowed at least two runs in relief.
Cal State Northridge’s lone run came in the top of the fourth when Taylor Nate grounded out to third and scored Taylor Glover.
Oregon (9-1) travels to Cathedral City, Calif., for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic for five games.
Cal State Northridge (5-5) will join Oregon in the tournament, but the two teams will not play each other.
Follow Madison Guernsey on Twitter @guernseymd