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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 20, 1999)
Thursday May 20,1999 Best Bet NBA Playoffs Portland vs. Utah 7:30 pm, TNT Ducks’ first task: extinguish Flames Jennie Cook has struggled since returning to the mound May 8 from a thumb injury, Scott Bamett'Ememki but Oregon needs her to be sharp in Chicago. By Mirjam Swanson Oregon Daily Emerald * A decade ago, the Oregon softball team reached the Women’s College World Se ries for the first time — and the only time, so far. Today, the No. 19 Ducks (39-27 overall, 10-18 Pacific-10 Conference) begin their lat est attempt at a return appearance to colle giate softball’s showcase event. They’re matched up with No. 10 Illinois Chicago (65-15), the Midwestern Collegiate Conference champion, on the Flames’ home field. Last season, Oregon was a few key hits away from reaching the World Series, losing to Nebraska in the regional finals, 9-7. “Last year, we didn’t expect to go,’’ to re gional, infielder Katie Mackey said. “This year, we have to go in with mental toughness. We have higher expecta tions than before.” Heading into the 48 team, double-elimination tournament, the Ducks’ recent results pale in com parison to the Flames’. Fourth-seeded Oregon has lost seven of its last 10 games. Third-seeded Illinois Chicago won 12 of its final 13. If the Ducks win today, they face the win ner of the DePaul-Michigan State matchup. If they lose, they face the loser of the Texas Comell contest. Either way, they play again Friday. “It’s a tough field,” head coach Rick Gamez said. “Any one of these teams can win on any given day.” It s undecided who will take the mound for the Ducks today. Senior Jennie Cook, who has been Ore gon’s ace for much of her career, is one op tion. Oregon’s all-time leader in pitching ap pearances has a 2.78 earned-run average, and she has pitched three shutouts this sea son despite not pitching for a month be cause of a broken thumb. The Ducks could also go with freshman Connie McMurren, who threw 18 complete games and compiled a 15-12 record and 2.55 ERA. Either pitcher should have help from Ore gon’s potent offense. Despite struggling lately, the Ducks fin ished the season ranked second in the Pac 10 in slugging percentage, runs scored and runs batted in. A variety of sources are responsible for Turn to SOFTBALL, Page 12 No. 19 Oregon begins its quest to reach the College World Series today against No. 10 Illinois Chicago in the first round of the NCAA Regionals Crane leads Oregon into stellar NCAA regional field uregon needs a good start today in the NCAA West Regionals at Arizona By Brett Williams for the Emerald The question in Tucson: Can the Crane lift Ore gon again? Ben Crane, who boasts Oregon’s best average, leads the No. 18 Ducks into the NCAA West Region als today. Crane was a step above the competition at region als last season, when his second-place individual finish propelled the Ducks to sixth in the team standings, good for a berth at nationals. Only the top nine teams and two extra individuals advance from the 16-team field. Oregon head coach Steve Nosier said he feels a re peat performance by Crane is within reach. “He certainly has the ability; he shot a 66 at Stan ford in our last tournament,” said Nosier, who has coached the Ducks to regionals the last two seasons. “It just depends on how many times he can get up [on the green] and down” in the hole. Oregon’s last tournament was the U.S. Intercolle giate. The Ducks finished second, courtesy of Crane’s fourth-place finish and the play of Andrew Tredway, who placed 12th. Nosier said Oregon’s strong placing at the U.S. In tercollegiate lends momentum at regionals. • “Anytime you end anything on agood note there is a sense of confidence that carries over,” Nosier said. The Ducks need the same effort at regionals they had at the Pacific-10 Tournament, where they fin ished third. As a second-team Pac-10 selection, Adrian Burt ner struggled to a 39th-place finish, but every other Duck finished in the top 20. Ryan Lavoie and Tredway tied for ninth, and Crane and Derek Croskrey finished 12th. Every Oregon player except Burtner golfed at re gionals last season. The Ducks hope that experience translates into a top finish. “The more times you’ve been here, the better off you are,” Nosier said. “It is definitely to our advan tage.” Nerves would be high for most players during their first experience at regionals, but they shouldn’t affect Burtner’s play, Nosier said. “Adrian, by his nature, is a laid-back kind of guy,” Nosier said. How he plays in this tournament has nothing to do with pressure or the fact that he has not been here before." The three-day tournament showcases some of the best talent in the nation, including No. 5 Arizona State, who blew away the field at the Pac-lOs last month. Other Pac-10 teams include No. 14 Wash ington, No. 22 California, No. 28 Stanford, Oregon State, Southern California and host Arizona. Nosier expects Nevada-Las Vegas and last sea son’s co-champion Arizona State to be near the top of the standings, but he insists the tournament is wide open. There are so many good teams you could throw a blanket over all of us,” Nosier said. “Anyone could finish in the top nine.” NOSLER
