In many of the matchups on Arizonaβs softballβs ongoing Pac-12 losing streak, the Wildcats were able to put at least one element of their game together. On most of those occasions, the offense kept Arizona close, even as the opposition ended up scoring more runs.
In a nationally televised matchup Friday at No. 16 Oregon, the Wildcatsβ offense and defense were in the wrong kind of sync: At the plate, Arizona couldnβt get enough hits, while the UA pitching staff couldnβt get enough outs as the Ducks rolled to an 8-0 victory to open a three-game series in Eugene, Oregon.
The loss marks now-unranked Arizonaβs 11th straight conference defeat and puts the Wildcats (25-18, 3-12 Pac-12) in rare air for one of college softballβs most storied programs: last place out of the nine teams competing in the Pac-12.
While Oregon (29-11, 9-7) managed its eight runs on 10 hitsΒ βΒ including a 2-for-4 night from catcher Terra McGowan, who also had four RBIs thanks in part to a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifthΒ β the Wildcats could only muster three hits of their own. Arizona had one hit each from Blaise Biringer, Tayler Biehl and Paige Dimler.
Oregon managed four runs on four hits in four innings off UA starter Devyn Netz (12-13), while adding three runs off three hits in just one-third of an inning off Sydney Somerndike. Aissa Silva gave up one run on one hit in 1β innings to close the Wildcatsβ night in the circle as the Ducks walked off the Wildcats in the bottom of the sixth by reaching their eighth run and activating the college softball run rule.
Morgan Scott (9-4) struck out six in throwing the complete-game three-hitter for Oregon. Hanna Delgado and Kai Luschar combined to go 5 for 7 in the first two spots in the Ducksβ lineup.
Game 2 of the three-game series is Saturday at 4 p.m. Pac-12 Networks has the broadcast from Eugene