Softball: Ducks sweep their way through Campbell/Cartier Classic

After some early season hiccups that gave Oregon softball only a 3-2 record heading down south, the Ducks seemed to be on fire in the San Diego sun over the past weekend, with a clean 5-0 record through the past weekend.

On Friday they started off with a 9-0 thrashing of Utah Valley that was called after the sixth inning due to the mercy rule. The Ducks continued that momentum into handling UC Riverside 6-1 for a hot start to the weekend, highlighted by two home runs from Allee Bunker and a no-hitter in the first game from pitcher Stevie Hansen.

On Saturday the Ducks continued their run by defeating Loyola Marymount 9-4 and San Diego State 6-4. Terra McGowan drove in six runs in the series, tying a career-high with five RBI in the first game. Hansen’s hot pitching continued through the first five innings as she didn’t allow a run. After allowing two runs on three hits in the sixth, however, she finally conceded to the bullpen.

On Sunday Oregon finished with an offensive flurry, scoring a season-high 12 runs in a 12-5 win in a rematch with UC Riverside. The Ducks already had eight runs scored on 12 hits by the third inning, led by a single and a home run by McGowan and a double and a triple by Bunker.

After UC Riverside closed the gap to 8-5 Hansen came on in relief and did not allow a run the rest of the game.

The winning streak in San Diego puts Oregon in a much better position early in the season, with an 8-2 overall record now. The Ducks return to California this weekend, this time traveling to Cathedral City for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, which start off with a matchup against Cal State Fullerton on Friday at 10am PT.