Baseball was never just a sport to Jhonny Bethencourt—it was a way of life. Since the age of 4, he dreamed of playing major league baseball. Born in Venezuela in 1997, Bethencourt grew up in the city of Pampatar on Isla de Margarita. Years of local competition led him to the South American tryouts held by MLB clubs.

“I fought a lot to get signed—for almost two years,” Bethencourt said. “I was getting to the end. I was going to quit.”

In the biggest moment of his young career, a scout from the Chicago Cubs was watching him. He rose to the occasion.

“I hit a couple of home runs,” Bethencourt said. “I ran a 6.5 [in the 60 yard dash], and then our boss came up to me in the middle of the tryout and said, ‘They’re going to sign you.’ I just was like, ‘wow.’”

Soon after, the Chicago Cubs signed Bethencourt to a minor league contract in 2015. His journey to the MLB officially began.

Yet even as he’s set out on his journey to the MLB, and now as a second baseman for the Eugene Emeralds, his home and his family are always on his mind.

“It’s really hard not seeing my family,” Bethencourt said. “I get goosebumps when I talk about them. But I’m playing here for them. They’re my motivation.”

He especially misses his two younger brothers. Both are soccer players with dreams of going pro, and Bethencourt wants to inspire them. He talks to his family as much as he can, and they’re also able to stream his games.

“Thank God for the phones and internet,” he said.

While being away from home can take a toll on anyone, Venezuelans abroad, like Bethencourt, are dealing with a particularly tough hand. Starting in 2014, the country is embroiled in a near-constant series of protests and riots, spurred on by poverty, government corruption and urban violence. In the past three months alone, at least 90 people have been killed in the rioting, with over 3,000 more detained.

“You are not safe there,” Bethencourt said. “I’m always praying for them, for nothing bad to happen to my family.”

Being in America, he says, is a constant reminder how dangerous things back home are.

Emeralds infielder Jhonny Bethencourt swings at during an at-bat. He is batting an impressive .304 with the Emeralds this season. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

“You’re just safe everywhere,” Bethencourt said. “I can walk home at night and not worry. In Venezuela, if you do that, anything can happen.”

While he’s always wanted to make his family proud, the turmoil in Venezuela has added a sense of urgency to his play.

“I’m trying my hardest to move up as quickly as I can,” Bethencourt said. “I want to get them out, to bring them here or another country.”

It’s a sentiment shared by his teammate and fellow Venezuelan Gustavo Polanco, who also tries to focus on his play while remembering why he’s in America.

“It’s no secret about what’s happening in my country,” Polanco says. “I’m here for my family. They tell me to keep focused on my play, and that they are OK. I still worry, but I’m playing for them.”  

Bethencourt’s career with the Cubs organization began in the Venezuelan Summer League in 2015. The then 18-year-old second baseman made an immediate impact at the plate, posting 69 hits in the 61 games he played. Bethencourt finished the season batting .319 with a healthy on-base-percentage of .410. Those numbers made him the third-best hitter in the league, as well as the best batter on the Venezuelan Summer League Cubs.  

After his strong rookie showing, Bethencourt was assigned to the Arizona League Cubs for the 2016 season. He struggled in his American debut and his batting average fell to .235.

For Bethencourt, new competition wasn’t the only challenge he faced. At 19, he was in a new country with a new language to learn.

“It was hard in the beginning, and I didn’t speak English well when I came here,” Bethencourt said. “I knew some basic things from high school, but not much.”

Listening to him now, it’s hard to believe that Bethencourt barely spoke English a little over a year ago. Occasionally he’ll take a moment to find the right word, but he speaks with confidence. He learned most of his English through classes offered by the Cubs organization.

“The English classes here were really good,” Bethencourt said. He also had help from another less academic source.

“I had a girlfriend in Arizona,” he continued. “She spoke English, so I had to learn.”

Fortunately for both Bethencourt and the club that signed him, 2016 turned out to be a strong year. Bethencourt has been electric in his first season with the Class-A Eugene Emeralds. His batting average is up to .308 for the season, placing him at 18th in the league.

That batting average is the product of a renewed focus on pregame routine, a change Bethencourt hopes will aid his rise through the Cubs’ organization.

“The preparation for the game, it’s the most important thing,” Bethencourt said. “My routine in the cages, the BP, I try to put my best there. If I can’t do that, then I can’t just go in the game and hit.”

Emeralds catcher Gustavo Polanco snatches a foul ball from mid-air. Polanco is one of six players on the Emeralds from Venezuela. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

According to Bethencourt, the routine is all about quality over quantity. This ensures that he never exerts himself too much before a game, he says. The routine itself starts out with a one-handed-swings with a short training bat, a tried and true way to improve control at the plate. He follows that with full bat swings, mainly focusing on hitting the ball down the middle, and then the routine is finished.

“It’s more psychological,” he said. “It gets me in the zone.”

Bethencourt’s performances makes him a regular presence in the Emeralds’ lineup, and his comfort in that role is clear. He has a relaxed demeanor both on and off the field, and is quick to smile and laugh. “I’m always trying to make my team laugh,” Bethencourt said.

A big source of that comfort comes from Jesus Feliciano, the Emerald’s manager. Originally from Puerto Rico, Feliciano’s heritage and Spanish helps put players like Bethencourt at ease.

“It’s nice, even though I can speak English with the other coaches and I speak it with him too,” Bethencourt said. “But it’s more comfortable for me because he’s Latino too.”

Having been through a similar experience as his players, Feliciano understands the challenges that come with being in a new place. He was drafted in 1997 by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and spent most of his career in the team’s farm system.

“It’s something that you have to make the adjustment to,” Feliciano said of playing in the United States. “You’re trying to make your dream come true since you were little, especially guys that come out of the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, they grow up watching the big leagues. It’s a huge challenge and they’re taking it the right way.”

While Bethencourt has hit his stride in Eugene this season, he has a long way to go before completing his journey to the MLB. On average, only 10 percent of minor league players will make it to the majors. Bethencourt knows this, but has resolved to focus on his own play.

“I want to keep playing hard, hitting the ball hard, and keep my routine,” Bethencourt said. “Control the things I can control, you know?”

Even with such a focused mindset, there are still days when Bethencourt worries for his family or wishes he could watch more of his younger brothers’ soccer matches. Ultimately, however, his passion for baseball keeps his outlook positive.

“I love this game,” Bethencourt said. “I’m lucky to be playing here.”

Follow Aaron Alter on Twitter @aaronalter95

The post While Venezuela battles, Emerald Jhonny Bethencourt fights for his family on the baseball field appeared first on Emerald Media.

Baseball was never just a sport to Jhonny Bethencourt—it was a way of life. Since the age of 4, he dreamed of playing major league baseball. Born in Venezuela in 1997, Bethencourt grew up in the city of Pampatar on Isla de Margarita. Years of local competition led him to the South American tryouts held by MLB clubs.

“I fought a lot to get signed—for almost two years,” Bethencourt said. “I was getting to the end. I was going to quit.”

In the biggest moment of his young career, a scout from the Chicago Cubs was watching him. He rose to the occasion.

“I hit a couple of home runs,” Bethencourt said. “I ran a 6.5 [in the 60 yard dash], and then our boss came up to me in the middle of the tryout and said, ‘They’re going to sign you.’ I just was like, ‘wow.’”

Soon after, the Chicago Cubs signed Bethencourt to a minor league contract in 2015. His journey to the MLB officially began.

Yet even as he’s set out on his journey to the MLB, and now as a second baseman for the Eugene Emeralds, his home and his family are always on his mind.

“It’s really hard not seeing my family,” Bethencourt said. “I get goosebumps when I talk about them. But I’m playing here for them. They’re my motivation.”

He especially misses his two younger brothers. Both are soccer players with dreams of going pro, and Bethencourt wants to inspire them. He talks to his family as much as he can, and they’re also able to stream his games.

“Thank God for the phones and internet,” he said.

While being away from home can take a toll on anyone, Venezuelans abroad, like Bethencourt, are dealing with a particularly tough hand. Starting in 2014, the country is embroiled in a near-constant series of protests and riots, spurred on by poverty, government corruption and urban violence. In the past three months alone, at least 90 people have been killed in the rioting, with over 3,000 more detained.

“You are not safe there,” Bethencourt said. “I’m always praying for them, for nothing bad to happen to my family.”

Being in America, he says, is a constant reminder how dangerous things back home are.

Emeralds infielder Jhonny Bethencourt swings at during an at-bat. He is batting an impressive .304 with the Emeralds this season. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

“You’re just safe everywhere,” Bethencourt said. “I can walk home at night and not worry. In Venezuela, if you do that, anything can happen.”

While he’s always wanted to make his family proud, the turmoil in Venezuela has added a sense of urgency to his play.

“I’m trying my hardest to move up as quickly as I can,” Bethencourt said. “I want to get them out, to bring them here or another country.”

It’s a sentiment shared by his teammate and fellow Venezuelan Gustavo Polanco, who also tries to focus on his play while remembering why he’s in America.

“It’s no secret about what’s happening in my country,” Polanco says. “I’m here for my family. They tell me to keep focused on my play, and that they are OK. I still worry, but I’m playing for them.”  

Bethencourt’s career with the Cubs organization began in the Venezuelan Summer League in 2015. The then 18-year-old second baseman made an immediate impact at the plate, posting 69 hits in the 61 games he played. Bethencourt finished the season batting .319 with a healthy on-base-percentage of .410. Those numbers made him the third-best hitter in the league, as well as the best batter on the Venezuelan Summer League Cubs.  

After his strong rookie showing, Bethencourt was assigned to the Arizona League Cubs for the 2016 season. He struggled in his American debut and his batting average fell to .235.

For Bethencourt, new competition wasn’t the only challenge he faced. At 19, he was in a new country with a new language to learn.

“It was hard in the beginning, and I didn’t speak English well when I came here,” Bethencourt said. “I knew some basic things from high school, but not much.”

Listening to him now, it’s hard to believe that Bethencourt barely spoke English a little over a year ago. Occasionally he’ll take a moment to find the right word, but he speaks with confidence. He learned most of his English through classes offered by the Cubs organization.

“The English classes here were really good,” Bethencourt said. He also had help from another less academic source.

“I had a girlfriend in Arizona,” he continued. “She spoke English, so I had to learn.”

Fortunately for both Bethencourt and the club that signed him, 2016 turned out to be a strong year. Bethencourt has been electric in his first season with the Class-A Eugene Emeralds. His batting average is up to .308 for the season, placing him at 18th in the league.

That batting average is the product of a renewed focus on pregame routine, a change Bethencourt hopes will aid his rise through the Cubs’ organization.

“The preparation for the game, it’s the most important thing,” Bethencourt said. “My routine in the cages, the BP, I try to put my best there. If I can’t do that, then I can’t just go in the game and hit.”

Emeralds catcher Gustavo Polanco snatches a foul ball from mid-air. Polanco is one of six players on the Emeralds from Venezuela. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

According to Bethencourt, the routine is all about quality over quantity. This ensures that he never exerts himself too much before a game, he says. The routine itself starts out with a one-handed-swings with a short training bat, a tried and true way to improve control at the plate. He follows that with full bat swings, mainly focusing on hitting the ball down the middle, and then the routine is finished.

“It’s more psychological,” he said. “It gets me in the zone.”

Bethencourt’s performances makes him a regular presence in the Emeralds’ lineup, and his comfort in that role is clear. He has a relaxed demeanor both on and off the field, and is quick to smile and laugh. “I’m always trying to make my team laugh,” Bethencourt said.

A big source of that comfort comes from Jesus Feliciano, the Emerald’s manager. Originally from Puerto Rico, Feliciano’s heritage and Spanish helps put players like Bethencourt at ease.

“It’s nice, even though I can speak English with the other coaches and I speak it with him too,” Bethencourt said. “But it’s more comfortable for me because he’s Latino too.”

Having been through a similar experience as his players, Feliciano understands the challenges that come with being in a new place. He was drafted in 1997 by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and spent most of his career in the team’s farm system.

“It’s something that you have to make the adjustment to,” Feliciano said of playing in the United States. “You’re trying to make your dream come true since you were little, especially guys that come out of the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, they grow up watching the big leagues. It’s a huge challenge and they’re taking it the right way.”

While Bethencourt has hit his stride in Eugene this season, he has a long way to go before completing his journey to the MLB. On average, only 10 percent of minor league players will make it to the majors. Bethencourt knows this, but has resolved to focus on his own play.

“I want to keep playing hard, hitting the ball hard, and keep my routine,” Bethencourt said. “Control the things I can control, you know?”

Even with such a focused mindset, there are still days when Bethencourt worries for his family or wishes he could watch more of his younger brothers’ soccer matches. Ultimately, however, his passion for baseball keeps his outlook positive.

“I love this game,” Bethencourt said. “I’m lucky to be playing here.”

Follow Aaron Alter on Twitter @aaronalter95

The post While Venezuela battles, Emerald Jhonny Bethencourt fights for his family on the baseball field appeared first on Emerald Media.

The Eugene Emeralds battled back from an early deficit to defeat the Everett Aquasox 5-4 in a thrilling game that came down to the final out.

With the game tied, the Emeralds had a chance to end the game. Jared Young led things off with a single, only to be forced out at second when Jhonny Bethencourt hit a shallow grounder. Kwang-Min  Kwon followed that with a fly-out.

The Ems were down to their last out, and the game was in the hands of Rafael Narea. With the count at 1-2, he hit a shallow fly ball into center field, landing just short of Brayan Hernandez. Bethencourt was off and running as soon as the ball was hit, and managed to slide across the plate just before the throw from center field arrived home. It was a triumphant victory for the team, and the stadium erupted as the Emeralds rushed the field.

“I just was running as hard as I could,” Bethencourt said. “As I’m passing second, the manager is saying, ‘go home, go home,’ so I went home and we got the run.”

Feliciano attributed the win to strong base running from his team, particularly compared to the last night’s game against the Sox.

“Last night we made a lot of mental errors and mistakes on the bases,” Feliciano said. “Tonight, coming back here and making those adjustments … it was a lot of fun to watch.”

The early phases of the game were marked by inconsistent pitching from Emerald’s pitcher Javier Assad, and the team’s offense seemed unable to provide him with any support. Despite the rocky start, the Ems were tenacious and managed to fight their way back.

The Aquasox made their presence known in the second inning when third baseman Johnny Adams crushed the first pitch of the inning over the left field wall. Onil Pena and David Banuelos followed that with a pair of singles, prompting Emeralds manager Jesus Feliciano to talk to his pitcher. Despite the talk, Assad gave up a triple to Brayan Hernandez, putting the Sox up 3-0. Assad did manage to recover, and ended the inning without further damage.

The Emeralds responded with a single run in the bottom of the second. Bethencourt grounded out, sending Brandon Hughes home in the process. Despite a double from Kwon, the Ems were unable to add any more runs.

Assad delivered a shut-down third inning, though the Ems were once again unable to score. The top of the fourth brought another homerun for the Aquasox, this time coming from Onil Pena. Again, however, Assad went on to recover.

The Emeralds surged back into the game in the fifth inning. With two outs, Narea sent a line drive double into left field. Zach Davis proceeded to drive him in with an RBI single, leaving the Ems down two. On the first pitch of the next at-bat, Aramis Ademan drilled a home run over the right field wall. Suddenly, the game was tied.

Both sides proved unable to break the stalemate for the ensuing several innings. Jhon Romero came in to spell Assad, and delivered three perfect innings of scoreless baseball. The Emeralds were shut out as well however, courtesy of lights-out relief work from  JP Sears.

Luis Aquino replaced Romero in the ninth, and promptly took down the next three Aquasox batters.

The Emeralds will face the Aquasox again tomorrow at 7:05 p.m.

Follow Aaron Alter on Twitter @aaronalter95

The post Dramatic walk-off gives Emeralds the victory over Everett appeared first on Emerald Media.

The Eugene Emeralds battled back from an early deficit to defeat the Everett Aquasox 5-4 in a thrilling game that came down to the final out.

With the game tied, the Emeralds had a chance to end the game. Jared Young led things off with a single, only to be forced out at second when Jhonny Bethencourt hit a shallow grounder. Kwang-Min  Kwon followed that with a fly-out.

The Ems were down to their last out, and the game was in the hands of Rafael Narea. With the count at 1-2, he hit a shallow fly ball into center field, landing just short of Brayan Hernandez. Bethencourt was off and running as soon as the ball was hit, and managed to slide across the plate just before the throw from center field arrived home. It was a triumphant victory for the team, and the stadium erupted as the Emeralds rushed the field.

“I just was running as hard as I could,” Bethencourt said. “As I’m passing second, the manager is saying, ‘go home, go home,’ so I went home and we got the run.”

Feliciano attributed the win to strong base running from his team, particularly compared to the last night’s game against the Sox.

“Last night we made a lot of mental errors and mistakes on the bases,” Feliciano said. “Tonight, coming back here and making those adjustments … it was a lot of fun to watch.”

The early phases of the game were marked by inconsistent pitching from Emerald’s pitcher Javier Assad, and the team’s offense seemed unable to provide him with any support. Despite the rocky start, the Ems were tenacious and managed to fight their way back.

The Aquasox made their presence known in the second inning when third baseman Johnny Adams crushed the first pitch of the inning over the left field wall. Onil Pena and David Banuelos followed that with a pair of singles, prompting Emeralds manager Jesus Feliciano to talk to his pitcher. Despite the talk, Assad gave up a triple to Brayan Hernandez, putting the Sox up 3-0. Assad did manage to recover, and ended the inning without further damage.

The Emeralds responded with a single run in the bottom of the second. Bethencourt grounded out, sending Brandon Hughes home in the process. Despite a double from Kwon, the Ems were unable to add any more runs.

Assad delivered a shut-down third inning, though the Ems were once again unable to score. The top of the fourth brought another homerun for the Aquasox, this time coming from Onil Pena. Again, however, Assad went on to recover.

The Emeralds surged back into the game in the fifth inning. With two outs, Narea sent a line drive double into left field. Zach Davis proceeded to drive him in with an RBI single, leaving the Ems down two. On the first pitch of the next at-bat, Aramis Ademan drilled a home run over the right field wall. Suddenly, the game was tied.

Both sides proved unable to break the stalemate for the ensuing several innings. Jhon Romero came in to spell Assad, and delivered three perfect innings of scoreless baseball. The Emeralds were shut out as well however, courtesy of lights-out relief work from  JP Sears.

Luis Aquino replaced Romero in the ninth, and promptly took down the next three Aquasox batters.

The Emeralds will face the Aquasox again tomorrow at 7:05 p.m.

Follow Aaron Alter on Twitter @aaronalter95

The post Dramatic walk-off gives Emeralds the victory over Everett appeared first on Emerald Media.

Bolstered by an explosive offense and rock-solid pitching, the Eugene Emeralds took down the Everett Aquasox 5-3 in the second of a five-game series on Sunday.

Despite the final result, it was the Aquasox who struck first, with designated hitter Chris Torres leading off the first inning with a triple to deep right field. Torres scored one batter later, courtesy of a line-drive single from third baseman Eugene Helder. Emeralds pitcher Jesus Camargo recovered however, and swiftly retired the side.

The game fell into a lull until the third inning, when the Emeralds offense blew the game open. With two outs, right fielder Brandon Hughes ripped a line-drive double to left field. Designated hitter Jared Young followed that up with a ground-rule double, sending Hughes home and knotting up the game. After that, second baseman Jhonny Bethencourt drove a hard ground ball into left field to score Young, giving the Emeralds the lead. The Ems’ offensive barrage wasn’t finished however, and catcher Michael Cruz sent Bethencourt home with a single to right field before the Sox managed to end the inning.

Camargo delivered another round of lights-out pitching in the fourth, and then it was time for the Ems’  bats to come alive again. With Rafael Narea on first, Aramis Ademan smacked a triple up the right field line. Narea scored on the play, and Ademan was sent home on a single from Gustavo Polanco during the next at-bat. The game fell into a lull once again after the fourth, with Camargo continuing to shut down the Sox offense.

Tempers flared on the Emeralds bench in the sixth inning. With runners on first and third, Bethencourt turned what he though was a double-play on a ground ball from Helder. The umpires disagreed, and called the runner safe at second. Bethencourt was also banged up on the play, appearing to nurse his ankle in the aftermath. Emeralds manager Jesus Feliciano took to the field, lambasting the umpires for what he thought was a bogus call. Eventually, first base umpire Chris Presley-Murphy ejected Feliciano. It was his first ejection of the season. Chris Torres scored for the Aquasox, but Camargo once again recovered to end the inning without further damage.

The Emeralds wouldn’t score for the rest of the game, yet still held a commanding lead. Yapson Gomez came in to spell Camargo in the seventh, and pitched two flawless innings. The Sox managed to put another run on the board with two outs in the ninth, but Ems first baseman Gustavo Polanco snagged a low line-drive to end the game.

After the game, Bethencourt was complementary of his coach.

“You know, it feels good,” Bethencourt said. “For him [Feliciano] to get ejected like that, it shows that he has our backs.”

The Emeralds will look to extend their winning streak against the Aquasox tomorrow at 7:05 PM.

The post Dominant in all phases of play, Emeralds top Aquasox 5-3 appeared first on Emerald Media.

Bolstered by an explosive offense and rock-solid pitching, the Eugene Emeralds took down the Everett Aquasox 5-3 in the second of a five-game series on Sunday.

Despite the final result, it was the Aquasox who struck first, with designated hitter Chris Torres leading off the first inning with a triple to deep right field. Torres scored one batter later, courtesy of a line-drive single from third baseman Eugene Helder. Emeralds pitcher Jesus Camargo recovered however, and swiftly retired the side.

The game fell into a lull until the third inning, when the Emeralds offense blew the game open. With two outs, right fielder Brandon Hughes ripped a line-drive double to left field. Designated hitter Jared Young followed that up with a ground-rule double, sending Hughes home and knotting up the game. After that, second baseman Jhonny Bethencourt drove a hard ground ball into left field to score Young, giving the Emeralds the lead. The Ems’ offensive barrage wasn’t finished however, and catcher Michael Cruz sent Bethencourt home with a single to right field before the Sox managed to end the inning.

Camargo delivered another round of lights-out pitching in the fourth, and then it was time for the Ems’  bats to come alive again. With Rafael Narea on first, Aramis Ademan smacked a triple up the right field line. Narea scored on the play, and Ademan was sent home on a single from Gustavo Polanco during the next at-bat. The game fell into a lull once again after the fourth, with Camargo continuing to shut down the Sox offense.

Tempers flared on the Emeralds bench in the sixth inning. With runners on first and third, Bethencourt turned what he though was a double-play on a ground ball from Helder. The umpires disagreed, and called the runner safe at second. Bethencourt was also banged up on the play, appearing to nurse his ankle in the aftermath. Emeralds manager Jesus Feliciano took to the field, lambasting the umpires for what he thought was a bogus call. Eventually, first base umpire Chris Presley-Murphy ejected Feliciano. It was his first ejection of the season. Chris Torres scored for the Aquasox, but Camargo once again recovered to end the inning without further damage.

The Emeralds wouldn’t score for the rest of the game, yet still held a commanding lead. Yapson Gomez came in to spell Camargo in the seventh, and pitched two flawless innings. The Sox managed to put another run on the board with two outs in the ninth, but Ems first baseman Gustavo Polanco snagged a low line-drive to end the game.

After the game, Bethencourt was complementary of his coach.

“You know, it feels good,” Bethencourt said. “For him [Feliciano] to get ejected like that, it shows that he has our backs.”

The Emeralds will look to extend their winning streak against the Aquasox tomorrow at 7:05 PM.

The post Dominant in all phases of play, Emeralds top Aquasox 5-3 appeared first on Emerald Media.

During the 2016 season, it was clear that Oregon women’s soccer was a team on the way up. The squad finished with its best record (8-10-2) since 2012, and came tantalizingly close to an NCAA Tournament berth, which the program has never gotten.

A recent summer trip to China may have provided the push the Ducks need to put all the pieces together this season. Summer trips are fairly common for NCAA soccer teams, though the Ducks’ destination broke the typical mold.

“Everyone goes to Spain and Portugal,” head coach Kat Mertz said. “This was a little different. Two days before the trip, I said to Katie (Hultin) — my assistant — ‘Oh my god, we’re going to China with the team.’ It really hit me.”

While the unique destination might have been mildly overwhelming, Mertz was thrilled with the trip.

“It was an unbelievable experience,” Mertz said. “I really got to see a different side of the players, and I really enjoyed watching them experience something new.”

The Ducks played two matches, winning one and drawing the other. The team’s first match saw them defeat the Beijing All-Star University team 1-0, with the goal coming from veteran Sofia Chambers off a cross from recent-transfer Jazmin Jackson. The Ducks dominated on offense, posting 17 shots to Beijing’s five.

The second match against the Beijing Youth Women’s team ended in a 1-1 draw. The Ducks fought back from an early 1-0 deficit to knot things up. The equalizer came when defender Mia Costa sent a cross to midfielder Jayne Lydiatt, who found the net with a header. Once again the Ducks led in shot attempts, this time to a tune of 19-12. The match concluded with a friendly penalty shoot-out, which Beijing won 4-1.

Strong play in goal was key in both games, with veteran goalkeeper Halla Hinriksdottir notching a total of eight saves.

“I think it was really, really eye-opening for a lot of us,” Hinriksdottir said. “Getting to play teams that are way different from what we’re used to is very refreshing.”

Mertz agreed, and adds that the game has a unique power to connect people across cultures.

“It’s the same thing across the world,” Mertz said. “I think that’s one thing that makes soccer, or football as it’s known across the world, a really beautiful sport.”

Though the trip was certainly fun, Mertz and Hinriksdottir both believe it could also play a key role in the Ducks’ success this upcoming season.

“I think it really pushed us in the right direction,” Mertz said. “We were a team teetering on the next step of our development.”

The chemistry will be on display when the Ducks open their season on August 12 against the Portland Pilots, and it has Mertz feeling good about the coming year.

“We’re at this point where this team has really bought into what we’re doing,” Mertz said. “We want to do something special that hasn’t been done in this new era since the ’96 program was born, and that’s to take this program into the NCAA Tournament.”

Follow Aaron Alter on Twitter @aaronalter95

The post For the women’s soccer team, trip to China was “really eye-opening” appeared first on Emerald Media.

During the 2016 season, it was clear that Oregon women’s soccer was a team on the way up. The squad finished with its best record (8-10-2) since 2012, and came tantalizingly close to an NCAA Tournament berth, which the program has never gotten.

A recent summer trip to China may have provided the push the Ducks need to put all the pieces together this season. Summer trips are fairly common for NCAA soccer teams, though the Ducks’ destination broke the typical mold.

“Everyone goes to Spain and Portugal,” head coach Kat Mertz said. “This was a little different. Two days before the trip, I said to Katie (Hultin) — my assistant — ‘Oh my god, we’re going to China with the team.’ It really hit me.”

While the unique destination might have been mildly overwhelming, Mertz was thrilled with the trip.

“It was an unbelievable experience,” Mertz said. “I really got to see a different side of the players, and I really enjoyed watching them experience something new.”

The Ducks played two matches, winning one and drawing the other. The team’s first match saw them defeat the Beijing All-Star University team 1-0, with the goal coming from veteran Sofia Chambers off a cross from recent-transfer Jazmin Jackson. The Ducks dominated on offense, posting 17 shots to Beijing’s five.

The second match against the Beijing Youth Women’s team ended in a 1-1 draw. The Ducks fought back from an early 1-0 deficit to knot things up. The equalizer came when defender Mia Costa sent a cross to midfielder Jayne Lydiatt, who found the net with a header. Once again the Ducks led in shot attempts, this time to a tune of 19-12. The match concluded with a friendly penalty shoot-out, which Beijing won 4-1.

Strong play in goal was key in both games, with veteran goalkeeper Halla Hinriksdottir notching a total of eight saves.

“I think it was really, really eye-opening for a lot of us,” Hinriksdottir said. “Getting to play teams that are way different from what we’re used to is very refreshing.”

Mertz agreed, and adds that the game has a unique power to connect people across cultures.

“It’s the same thing across the world,” Mertz said. “I think that’s one thing that makes soccer, or football as it’s known across the world, a really beautiful sport.”

Though the trip was certainly fun, Mertz and Hinriksdottir both believe it could also play a key role in the Ducks’ success this upcoming season.

“I think it really pushed us in the right direction,” Mertz said. “We were a team teetering on the next step of our development.”

The chemistry will be on display when the Ducks open their season on August 12 against the Portland Pilots, and it has Mertz feeling good about the coming year.

“We’re at this point where this team has really bought into what we’re doing,” Mertz said. “We want to do something special that hasn’t been done in this new era since the ’96 program was born, and that’s to take this program into the NCAA Tournament.”

Follow Aaron Alter on Twitter @aaronalter95

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The Eugene Emeralds (14-12) were soundly defeated by the Tri-City Dust Devils (14-12) 5-0 in the conclusion of a five-game series Monday night, snapping the Emeralds three-game win streak.

Rookie Emeralds pitcher Javier Assad had a rough start to his night, giving up two base hits before walking the bases loaded. Two pitches later, Dust Devils right fielder Luis Asuncion ripped a line drive to the center field wall for a three-run triple. Asuncion would go on to score off of a sacrifice fly from catcher Jalen Washington before Assad managed to strike out the side.

From there, the Emeralds offense was simply unable to overcome Dust Devils pitcher Adrian Morejon. Shortstop Rafael Narea gave the Ems their first hit of the night in the bottoms of the third, courtesy of a line-drive double to right field.  However, the team failed to capitalize on the hit.

Despite the rough first inning, Assad managed to recover. He went on to pitch six innings, giving up only one more run along the way. That run came on Asuncion once again—this time on a grounder. The Emeralds racked up four more hits during the game, but were still held scoreless.

Emeralds manager Jesus Feliciano was not too down about the loss, however.

“We won the series,” Emeralds manager Jesus Feliciano said. “That’s the important thing, you know? Even though they took an early lead, we kept fighting until the end.”

The Emeralds will travel to face the Hillsboro Hops on Wednesday, July 12.

Follow Aaron Alter on Twitter @aaronalter95

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Going into a two-game home series against the third place Boise Hawks, the Eugene Emeralds hoped to break their two-game losing streak. Instead, the Emeralds were handed two losses and slid into a tie for second in the division.

Tuesday’s monstrosity of a game lasted 20 innings over a span of six hours, saw the lead change four times. The Emeralds eventually fell 5-7.

Despite starting pitcher Jesus Camargo throwing a no-hitter through three innings, the Emeralds still found themselves trailing the Hawks by one. The deficit came courtesy of a pair of errors in the first inning, and allowed Hawks center fielder Steven Linkous to get the Hawks on the board.

Emeralds third baseman Austin Filiere managed to tie the game up in the bottom of the fourth, crushing a line drive to left field for a double and allowing Miguel Amaya to score. Then in the sixth, first baseman Gustavo Polanco sent Amaya home again with a ground ball. It was starting to look like the Ems had their rhythm back.

However, the Hawks knotted the game up again in the seventh. First baseman Sean Bouchard drove in Tyler Nevin with a line drive to center field. This run would eventually send the game to extra innings, and neither team was able to break the stalemate until the 11th inning.

Steven Linkous scored the go-ahead run for the Hawks in the 11th, reaching the plate on a short fly to right field from Matt McLaughlin. The Ems tied it up, however, with Edgar Rondon scoring on a line drive to left field from Jose Gonzalez.

The Ems brought in catcher Tyler Payne to pitch, and he dealt four scoreless innings before being replaced by Junior Marte. Marte went on to allow four runs in the 20th inning, two of which came on an inside-the-park home run from J.B. Moss. The Emeralds tried to mount a rally in the bottom of the inning, and managed to score two before being closed out by the Hawks.

Wednesday’s game was tame by comparison, and once again the Hawks dominated from the opening pitch to go on to win 4-2.

With two runners on, Danny Edgeworth hit a hard ground ball to center field, scoring two runs. The Hawks added two more runs in the third, with one coming on a throwing error by Ems third baseman Jhonny Bethencourt. The other runs came on a wild pitch from starter Bailey Clark.

The Ems finally managed to get on the board in the fourth, when Edger Rondon sent Austin Filiere home with a ripped line drive to center field. The team wasn’t able to bring anymore runners in, however, and the game fell into a rut for both teams. Filiere gave the Ems a spark of home in the eighth with a pounded home run over the left field wall, his first on the season. The Hawks shut down those rally hopes with efficient pitching from closer Moises Ceja.

The loss dropped the Ems into a tie for second in the division.

The Emeralds will try to rebound and break their losing streak when they face the Tri-City Dust Devils on July 6, at 7:05 p.m.

Follow Aaron Alter on Twitter @aaronalter95

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