Oregon Softball: Holding in the Top 10, 4-2 Ducks Head to Las Vegas

Starting the season 4-2 was good enough for the Oregon Duck Softball team to remain in the Top 10 in the National polls this week. Last Friday, the Ducks kicked off the 2013 campaign in the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Arizona. Facing off against six teams, Oregon beat Western Michigan, Stephen F. Austin, San Jose State and Boise State(all unranked). They lost to then Number 14 Florida and then Number 2 Oklahoma.

In the latest poll, Oregon falls a few spots from Number 5 in both the NFCA and USA Softball Poll to Number 7 in the NFCA poll and #9 in the USA Softball poll allowing them to hold steady in the Top 10 in the country. Arizona State moved up to #3 in this week’s poll. The Sundevils are 7-0 on the young season.

Several members of the new 2012 Class for the Ducks saw action on the field including Freshman Cheridan Hawkins who logged two saves over the first weekend of play. In the Kajikawa Classic finale against Boise State(a 9-1 Oregon win) a pair of Oregon Freshman Catcher Janelle Lindvall and Shortstop Karine Shaver hit their first homeruns of their collegiate careers.

Senior pitcher Jessica Moore has gotten off to a solid start going 3-1 on the weekend, in the finale she struck out six, walked one and gave up five hits.

This week Oregon heads to Las Vegas and will play in the Easton Desert Classic which features five games against more solid National competition. The Ducks beat Long Beach State to start off Friday, 10-1 then faced Utah Valley in a double header and earned a second victory on the day, 9-1.  Saturday’s action includes Louisiana Monroe and #20 Hawai’i  and Sundays finale is with Cal State Fullerton.

Next week the Ducks head to Palm Springs for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.

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