Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 5, 1999)
Nick Medley/Ememkl First baseman Maegan Christie stretches to nip Oregon State’s Jenni Jodoin in the Ducks' dramatic 6-5, game 1 victory Saturday. Softball Continued from Page 11A of the way she hit it,” Gamez said. "I was leaning to one side, hoping that it would stay in and it did.” The Oregon bench erupted out of the dugout to give Welch a hero’s welcome at home plate, while the Beavers dejectedly trotted off the field to prepare forgame 2. “One of the things I tell the kids is that as long as we have one out in the ballgame, we still have a chance to win it,” Gamez said. “There was a great example of that.” In a battle of precocious fresh men pitchers, McMurren and Draper dominated game 2. The Beavers did touch McMur ren, a graduate of North Eugene, for eight hits but could not manu facture a run. Meanwhile, Draper, who en tered the day with an 11-3 record and 1.42 ERA, tossed matching ze ros, allowing just one Duck hit through the first five innings. But Robinson finally broke the scoreless tie when she launched a one-out missile over the left center field alley in the bottom of the sixth. The homer was Robinson’s co-team-leading ninth and gave Oregon 48 dingers, one short of the team record of 49 set last season. And then McMurren improved to 8-4 by squashing Oregon State’s last gasp in the top of the seventh. After retiring the Beavers’ Brooke Rutschman on a ground out to third, McMurren surren dered back-to-back walks to Jodi Chmielewski and Beyster. Oregon State catcher Kim Her man then stepped to the plate and nailed a line drive just foul down the left-field line, which Gamez ac knowledged by signaling for Ducks pitcher Danielle Haag to warm up. But Haag would not be needed. Shortstop Holly Ray fielded Her man’s ground ball, flipped to An drea Gustafson at second base for the inning’s second out, and Gustafson threw home to Coe, who blocked the plate beautifully in tag ging out Chmielewski, who was try ing to score from second base. “I don't know if the runner ever got to home plate because Missy blocked it so well,” Gamez said. And so, for the second straight game, Oregon prevailed with a close and convenient game clinching play. Spoils Briefs Football springs into off-season action For the first time since its Christmas Day loss to Colorado at the Aloha Bowl, the Oregon foot ball team will converge today and begin spring practice. Mike Bellotti will be starting the pursuit of a fourth bowl game in his first five years as the Ducks head coach. He will also try to .... < add to a school-best 30 wins in his first four seasons at the helm next fall, when Oregon kicks off the season with a Sept. 4 nonconfer ence game at Michigan State of the Big Ten Conference. Foremost among Bellotti’s con cerns this spring will be finding a replacement for starting quarter back Akili Smith, a probable first round pick in the April 17 NFL Draft who broke a plethora of school records last season on his way to Pacific-10 Conference co offensive player of the year hon ors. Junior A.J. Feeley and sopho more Joey Harrington are the top contenders for the quarterback va cancy. “A.J. Feeley and Joey Harring ton are probably the least experi enced quarterbacks we've had vy ing for the starting role since Danny O'Neil [19911, Bellotti said in a released statement. “But both are good size athletes with good foot skills. A.J. probably has a little stronger arm, while Joey may be a little more mobile.” Men golfers tee off today at invitational Coming off an impressive victo ry at its own Duck Invitational during spring break, the No. 27 Oregon men’s golf team will be in action again today at the Western Intercollegiate event in Santa Cruz, Calif. Among the teams that the Ducks will face at the 18-team event will be No. 23 Texas-El Paso, No. 24 UC Irvine, as well as Pacific-10 Conference competi tors from California, Stanford and Oregon State. How to keep your parents from having a cow. Sign up for health insurance, like they told you to do. Remember? It’s easy - just go to the Health Center at 13th and Agate. But don’t miss the deadline. Sign-up runs now through April 9th. And you’ve got insurance choices. So check them out on our web page, (darkwing.uoregon.edu/~uoshc) Questions? Call us at 346-3702. Because we (and your parents) don’t want medical bills to stop you from getting your degree. UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTER .-... We’re a matter of degrees ^ Open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Tuesdays (9 a.m.) and Sundays (10 a.m.). Appointments and after hours: 346-2770 • Web: darkwing.uoregon.edu/~uoshc