Oregon Defeated By California 6-3 in Women’s College World Series
By Ricky Widmer
Oregon’s season came to an end Saturday night as the Oregon women’s softball team fell to the California Golden Bears 6-3 in the Women’s College World Series. The Oregon Ducks finished third in the Pac-12 at the end of the regular season. They went on to sweep their regional and beat Texas in the Super Regional. This was the second game of the day for Oregon as they defeated Tennessee earlier by a score of 3-1. Oregon hoped to knock off the #1 overall seed and move on in the Women’s College World Series.
Oregon sent Jessica Moore to the mound to start the game against California. Moore pitched five innings and gave six runs (five earned) on eight hits. She also walked two and struck out five. The two biggest hits given up by Moore in the game where a three-run homer in the first inning and a solo home run in the fourth inning. Karissa Hovinga came in to relieve Moore in the sixth inning. Hovinga threw two perfect innings and had two strikeouts. California sent Jolene Henderson to the mound to start the game. Henderson pitched a complete game where she gave up three runs on six hits. Henderson also finished the game with two walks and nine strikeouts.
Despite going up against a pitcher throwing their “A game,” there were two Oregon batters that came to play. They were Samantha Pappas and Sara Goodrum. Pappas went 1 for 3 in the game with a strikeout, but had a big solo home run in the third inning. Sara Goodrum also went 1 for 3 with two strikeouts, but had two RBIs in the sixth inning on a double to center field.
The big bats for California came in the forms of Britt Vonk, Jace Williams, and Victoria Jones. Vonk went 2 for 4 with a strikeout and had a run and two RBIs when she doubled to right field in the second inning. Williams went 1 for 3 and had a run and three RBIs all coming from her three run homer in the first inning. Jones went 1 for 3 with a strikeout and finished with a run and an RBI both coming from her solo home run in the fourth inning.
Oregon ends their season with an overall record of 45-17. California moves to 57-6 overall and will face Alabama on Sunday (game can be seen on ESPN). It is possible that California could meet Pac-12 foe Arizona State in the championship, but for that to happen California needs to defeat Alabama twice and Arizona State needs to defeat Oklahoma twice.
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