Pac-10 Softball: Oregon Nips No. 9 ASU 6-5 on Senior Day

Oregon snapped its five-game losing streak and improved to 40-16 overall and 5-13 in the Pac-10 Conference.

Freshman Neena Bryant hit her second grand slam of the season to lead Oregon in a 6-5 victory. Photo: goducks.com

EUGENE - Oregon’s 2007 senior class went out in style, with a little help from the freshmen, as 18th-ranked Oregon knocked off ninth-ranked Arizona State, 6-5, on Sunday afternoon at Howe Field.

The game was the Ducks last regular season contest of 2007 at Howe Field. Oregon travels to the Bay Area to wrap up its regular season schedule at Cal and Stanford next week.

Oregon snapped its five-game losing streak and improved to 40-16 overall and 5-13 in the Pac-10 Conference.

The Sun Devils are now 47-14 and 11-7 in conference play.

It was only fitting that senior Suzie Barnes, who last night was voted by her teammates as this year’s most inspirational player, was the catalyst in both innings that put runs on the board for the Ducks.

With game even at one run apiece heading into the bottom of the third, Barnes was hit by Megan Elliott’s pitch to lead off the inning.

Sari-Jane Jenkins’ infield single put runners at first and second for Oregon’s RBI leader, freshman Jenn Salling.

The Port Coquitlam, BC, native responded with her second RBI double of the day, a line drive off the wall in right field to bring Barnes across the plate and give the Ducks a 2-1 edge. T

he inning continued when Ann Marie Topps was walked, loading the bases for freshman Neena Bryant with no outs.

The Placentia, Calif., native responded with her second grand slam of the season over the left field wall to give the Ducks the lead for good.

It was Bryant’s 10th home run of the season.

The ninth-ranked Sun Devils would not go away quietly though, piecing together a four-run inning in the fifth.

It was again Mindy Cowles, the nemesis of Oregon on Saturday. The starting second baseman hit her third home run in two days, a one-out, three-run blast to right center, and clipping the Ducks’ lead to just one run, 6-5.

Oregon’s defense responded in the inning to help put junior pitcher Alicia Cook.

Third baseman Joanna Gail helped get the second out of the inning, snagging Bianca Cruz’s line drive out of the air.

Gail was voted by her teammates as 2007’s top defensive player. Cook then recorded one of her three strikeouts on the afternoon to end the fifth.

In the top of the sixth it was Bryant’s defense that did its damage as she brought down a fly ball in right field and rifled a throw to first, catching Arizona State’s Jackie Vasquez off the bag.

Cook (19-3) took the win for Oregon, pitching her first complete game victory since her perfect game against Idaho State on March 24th. She allowed five runs on eight hits, and did not walk a batter.

Elliott (17-4) took the loss for Arizona State, allowing six runs on five hits and two walks in 2.1 innings in the circle. She was relieved by Katie Burkhart.

Salling finished her day 2-for-3 with two RBIs and five assists. Bryant was 1-for-3 with four RBIs and an assist from the outfield.

Oregon scored a run in the first again using the combination of Salling and Barnes.

In her final regular season game at Howe Field, Barnes led off the first with an infield single and moved into scoring position by stealing her 38th base of the season. Salling then doubled down the right field line to score Barnes and give the Ducks their initial one-run lead.

Oregon closes out the regular season on the road at Stanford and Cal next week.

First the Ducks head to meet the Cardinal in the regular season series rubber game, scheduled to start at 7:00 PM on Thursday night.

Oregon then travels to Berkeley for a 1:00 PM start on Friday, and closes out the regular season against the Bears at 11:30 AM on Saturday.

On Sunday the NCAA Regional selections will be announced at noon on ESPN News.

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