Pac-10 Softball: Homers Lead Arizona over Oregon, 6-2

Oregon, which has now dropped four straight, falls to 39-15 overall and 4-12 in the Pac-10.

Senior Suzie Barnes was 2-for-3 and broke Oregon's single-season record with her 37th stolen base.

EUGENE - Fifth-ranked Arizona homered on back-to-back pitches in the seventh inning, leading the Wildcats to a 6-2 victory over 18th-ranked Oregon on Friday afternoon at Howe Field.

The defending national champs and Pacific-10 Conference leaders improve to 36-10-1 overall and 12-3-1 in league.

Oregon, which has now dropped four straight, falls to 39-15 overall and 4-12 in the Pac-10.

Trailing 4-0 entering the sixth, Oregon started its comeback as senior Suzie Barnes led off the inning with a walk.

Barnes led the Ducks on the day with a 2-for-3 performance. The Lake Forest Park, Wash., native also broke Oregon’s single-season stolen base record with No. 37 in the top of the seventh.

After Barnes was walked and Sari-Jane Jenkins got on base with an infield single, an error from second baseman Chelsie Mesa allowed Barnes to score and put runners on second and third.

Senior Ann Marie Topps was walked to load the bases and Joanna Gail’s RBI groundout-RBI scored Oregon’s second run.

In the top of the seventh, Mesa made up for her fielding miscue with a home run to right center off junior Alicia Cook. On the next pitch, the Elmira, Ore., native then surrendered a second home run to Kristie Fox.

It was Cook’s first appearance for Oregon since April 14 against UCLA after battling an illness.

Cook came on in relief of starter Melissa Rice (21-13) in the first. Rice took the loss after allowing two unearned runs.

Taryne Mowatt improved to 28-8 on the year pitching her 33rd complete game of the season for Arizona. The junior allowed two unearned runs on four hits, completing the sweep of Oregon this year.

The game was also delayed 34 minutes in the first due to rain.

Oregon closes out its weekend with ninth-ranked Arizona State on Saturday and Sunday. Both games are scheduled for 1 p.m. starts. Oregon Director of Athletics Pat Kilkenny is expected to throw out the first pitch tomorrow, and the senior of trio Kristi Leiter, Ann Marie Topps and Suzie Barnes will be honored prior to Sunday’s start.

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