Press Release from the U of O:

Oregon Pitcher Jessica Moore
GoDucks.com

EUGENE – The No. 3 University of Oregon softball team (47-9) stayed perfect in NCAA Regional play under fourth-year head coach Mike White with its 5-2 win Thursday evening over BYU (33-24) at Howe Field.

Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year Jessica Moore (26-4) cruised to her 12th complete game of the season and raised her career regional postseason record to 9-0.

The senior from Sutter, Calif., struck out a season-high 12 batters – two better than her previous best vs. SDSU in late February – and tied the ninth-best Duck mark in a game.

She also walked one batter and allowed seven hits en route to her 26th win of the year – still third-best all-time for UO – and a school-record 99th career-wise.

“We played pretty well,” Moore said, “but we struggled with executing our game plan a little. It was good to get the win and get the jitters out. I struggled a little in the second inning when I let down a bit.”

In the first inning, junior DP Alexa Peterson put the Ducks ahead with a three-run homer. The shot into the left field bleachers was her 12th of the 2013 and moved her into a tie for eighth all-time in a season for the Ducks.

The All-Region First-Team choice drove in sophomore center fielder Janie Takeda and junior shortstop Courtney Ceo who had walked to open the game.

Moore scored UO’s fourth run in the fourth inning after she singled, advanced on a walk and errant throw by the second baseman, and a sacrifice fly by Ceo to center field.

In the fifth inning, four walks in the span of five batters accounted for UO’s fifth run.

“Getting off to a three run start was great,” Oregon head coach Mike White said, “and it got the jitters out early. This time of year we need to capitalize on our opportunities and then use our pitching and defense to win the game.”

For the game, junior shortstop Courtney Ceo (2-for-2) connected on her 19th multi-hit game of the campaign, and three other Ducks hit safely once.

The Cougars scored their pair of runs in the second inning on a two-out, bases-loaded single to center field by Carly Duckworth. BYU’s Alexandra Shamo-Hudson led off the inning with a single, and Coco Tauali’i and Mylee Davis reached on a walk and hit by pitch.

In the circle for the Cougars, Tori Almond (12-7) started the game and pitched to the first three batters. After Peterson’s homer, she was replaced two pitches later by Hannah Howell who worked the remaining six innings.

Altogether, Howell gave up three hits, struck out four, walked eight batters, and one of her two runs allowed was earned.

At the plate for the Pacific Coast Softball Conference champions, three players hit safely twice – Duckworth (2-for-4, 2 RBI), right fielder Gordy Bravo (2-for-4) and Shamo-Hudson (2-for-3).

Friday’s outcome raised the Ducks’ NCAA Regional record to 10-0 under White after it posted perfect 3-0 marks at Georgia Tech (2010), at Penn State (2011) and at home (2012).

Moore has been the pitcher of record in each of those games except the Atlanta finale her freshman season.

Earlier Thursday afternoon at Howe Field, North Carolina (40-19) beat Big Ten Tournament champion and No. 25 Wisconsin (42-12) in 8 innings, 3-2.

Looking ahead to Friday, the Tar Heels will face the Ducks at 11 a.m. in the day’s opener, and the Cougars play the Badgers at 2 p.m. The winner of that second game will face the loser of the Oregon-UNC game at 5 p.m.

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Press Release from the U of O:

OKLAHOMA CITY – After helping the No. 2 University of Oregon softball team stake its first-ever Pac-12 title, senior pitcher Jessica Moore and junior catcher Alexa Peterson were offered tryouts for the USA Softball Women’s National Team Selection Camp in June.

Oregon’s Jessica Moore and Alexa Peterson
GoDucks.com

The duo will compete with +30 athletes for national team positions from June 9-12 at the ASA Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City – held immediately after the Women’s College World Series in OKC (May 30-June 5).

Later this summer, the National Team will play in the World Cup of Softball VIII in Oklahoma City (July 11-14) against squads from Japan, Canada, Australia and Puerto Rico.

The U.S. squad will then travel to the Canadian Open Fastpitch Championship in Surrey, B.C., Canada (July 16-22) and Pan American Games / International Softball Federation World Championship Qualifier in Puerto Rico (August 5-18).

This week, the Salem, Ore., native Peterson ranked top 20 nationally in slugging (seventh, .568), batting (eighth, .464) and slugging (19th, .839), and led the Pac-12 in batting and on-base percentage. The returning All-Region choice also picked up her second Pac-12 Player of the Week honor in April, and is a former All-World Series Tournament Team honoree.

Moore also ranked top 25 nationally this week in wins (20th, 24) and ERA (24th, 1.53) and stood second in the Pac-12 in each category. This season, the Sutter, Calif., native and returning All-American has won two Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors, and National Player of the Week awards from both USA Softball and the NFCA.

In collegiate action this weekend, the No. 2 Ducks (45-8, 18-4) cap the regular season at No. 5 Arizona State (44-9, 15-7), with 5 p.m. games on Friday and Saturday, and both will be shown live on the Pac-12 Network.

The next day on Sunday, May 12, the 64-team NCAA Tournament selection show will be aired by ESPNU at 7 p.m. Pacific Time.

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Press Release from the U of O:

Oregon Starting Pitcher Jessica Moore
GoDucks.com

OKLAHOMA CITY – University of Oregon senior Jessica Moore was honored as the USA Softball National Player of the Week honor Tuesday after she posted a 3-0 mark at home last week vs. Oregon State and Seattle.

Helping the Ducks (45-7, 18-3) stake their first-ever Pac-12 title, the Sutter, Calif., native posted nine strikeouts in starts vs. both the Redhawks and Beavers – one shy of her season high.

She also struck out five in her other win vs. returning NCAA Regional finalist OSU.

For the week, she led the team in wins (3), innings (17), complete games (2) and starts (3), and stood second in ERA (0.41) and opposing batting average (.098).

“I’m really honored to be have been selected,” said Moore. “The award adds to the great year that we have had so far, and I’m so glad to be a part of this team. Winning a Pac-12 title was a huge step for this program. It adds to our legacy and gives us extra momentum heading into the future. We’re excited to be starting the final month of the season, and are feeling stronger and stronger.”

All-time for UO, she improved her school career records for wins (97), strikeouts (875), innings (862) and appearances (168), and other top-10 career marks for shutouts (fourth, 18) and complete games (sixth, 74).

On Duck all-time season charts, she moved up to fourth for wins (24) and matched her sophomore mark.

This week she also ranked top 25 nationally in wins (20th, 24) and ERA (24th, 1.53) and stood second in the Pac-12 in each.

At the plate, she boosted the Duck offense with a homer vs. both Seattle (a two-run first-inning blast) and OSU (sixth-inning solo homer) to give her three on the season and six career-wise.

That latter round-tripper in the 2-1 win was her first game-winning RBI of the season and helped her hit .500 for the week (3-for-6) with a team-high 1.500 slugging mark.

“We’re so thrilled that Jess was selected for such a prestigious honor,” said Oregon head coach Mike White. “She has worked very hard the past four years, and has always been a leader on and off the field. The timing of the award is especially fitting after she helped the team win its first conference title at home on Senior Day.”

Tuesday’s award was the first USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Week honor for an Oregon Duck in the 11-year history of the award.

Earlier this week, she picked up the fourth Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honor of her career and second of the season.

Last month, she was similarly honored with NFCA National Player of the Week laurels after she beat then-No. 17 Arizona twice (including a perfect game in the finale).

Team-wise last week, Oregon scored a pair of wins vs. Seattle (4-0, 6-4) and its second season sweep of Oregon State (2-1, 11-0 (5), 8-0 (5)) the past three years (and sixth ever).

This week, No. 2 UO caps the regular season with three games at No. 5 Arizona State (43-9, 14-7), Thursday-Saturday, May 9-11. The final two games will be televised live by the Pac-12 Network at 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The next day on Sunday, May 12, the 64-team NCAA Tournament selection show will be aired by ESPNU at 7 p.m. Pacific Time

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