Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 11, 2001)
Friday Best Bet NBA Playoffs: 76ersat Raptors 5 p.m., TNT SPORTS EDITOR: JEFF SMITH Smittside@aol.com Emerald Staff ace Connie McMurren said she feels responsible for Oregon’s rough season. McMurren is 9-17 this season, but shutout Portland State Wednesday while striking out seven. down GUNNIN9 ■ Junior Connie McMurren has been through the worst season of her softball career, but she's still hungry fora win against Cal By Adam Jude Oregon Daily Emerald With every delivery, Connie McMur ren belts out an ear-jarring grunt that would make Monica Seles proud. The grunt is typically a sign of all out effort, characterized by an ex treme physical movement, often oc curring during the performance of a physical event. For McMurren, however, the grunt has had different meanings this season. The ace of the Oregon pitching squad, McMurren is battling through the worst season of her life—but she’s not alone. After three straight NCAA Tourna ment appearances, the Ducks have had their worst season in head coach Rick Gamez’s five-year tenure. Heading into today’s 2 p.m. game againstNo. 6 California, Oregon is 28-37 overall this season and a dismal 1-17 in the Pacific-10 Conference. McMurren has 17 of those losses in the circle — the most in the Pac-10 — but two less than she had last year. Her nine wins this year, though, are seven less than her 16-19 record in 2000. “I feel responsible for the outcome of the year,” McMurren said. “I carry a lot of that on my shoulders, but at the same time, we have had a problem scoring runs this year. It just compounds into a vicious cycle and we can’t seem to break out of it.” Before defeating Portland State on Wednesday, McMurren had lost 12 straight decisions, a span that dates back to a March 12 victory over Purdue. To McMurren’s credit, the Ducks are only scoring an average of 3.4 runs per game this season, compared to 4.6 runs per game last year. “We just need to get the love of the game back,” McMurren said. “It’s been such a huge struggle this year that we’ve lost our focus. We need to ask ourselves ‘Do we still want to play softball?’ “I can honestly say that I still love to pitch.” Perhaps the pressure got to McMur ren this season. As the Ducks’ opening day starter, McMurren had high expec tations after her 2000 season that includ ed a 1.79 earned run average. Or per haps, because she’d never really lost before, the junior from North Eugene High School just didn’t know how to re act when hit with a rough spell. As a high school senior, McMurren was a first-team all-state selection after going 18-0 with a 0.00 ERA, including six no-hitters, 22 shutouts and 335 strikeouts. In three years at Oregon, Mc Murren has led the team in innings pitched each season while recording 361 strikeouts, second on the school’s all-time list. She is on pace to become Oregon’s career strikeouts leader, sur passing Rachelle Taylor’s mark of 474 set in the early ’90s. McMurren is also sixth in the record books with 40 career wins. “She’s always had it,” sophomore sec ond baseman Alyssa Laux said. “It’s good to see her pitching well again. ” Regardless of what has happened this year, one thing is for certain: The fire in McMurren is still burning. The McMur ren of old came to life Wednesday as she pitched a brilliant, complete game shutout against Portland State, allowing four hits and sevens strikeouts while walking one. The offense, after scoring just two runs in the first game of a dou bleheader, also picked up for McMur ren, belting 11 hits in a 7-0 victory. With the win, McMurren lowered her ERA from 3.52 to 3.35. Turn to Softball, page 8 MCMURREN regular season Saturday Twilight falls on Oregon’s Tom Patterson Emerald Lucretia Larkin is on the verge of qualifying for the Pac-10s ■The Duck women will look for both improved marks and improved national standings. By Peter Hockaday Oregon Daily Emerald In the words of Oregon women’s track and field coach Tom Heinonen, this weekend’s Ore gon Twilight meet is supremely im portant and incon sequential at the same time. “The Twilight is different things to ■ Kasahun looks to break four minutes in Twilight Mile, other Ducks looking for high marks By Robbie McCallum Oregon Daily Emerald It’ll be twilight. The air will be cool, the shadows will be long and the wind will be calm. In other words, it’ll be perfect running conditions. The Oregon men’s track and field team hopes to take advantage of uiutjitjniptjupie, nemonen said. “It’s a little tune-up for some and a last chance for others.” The Twilight is the Ducks’ last regular-season home meet before they start the postseason at the Pacif ic-10 Conference Champi onships next weekend. For some Oregon athletes, that means this weekend’s meet is the last time they can Turn to Women’s, page 8 On Tap: What: Oregon Twilight meet Who: Oregon men’s, women’s track and field teams When: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Where: Hayward Field such good conditions this Saturday at the annual Ore gon Twilight meet at Hay ward Field. Only a handful of Ducks will compete at Saturday’s meet, which will mark the last chance for Pacific-10 Conference and NCAA qual ifying marks. Senior distance runner Michael Kasahun, who has provisionally qualified for Turn to Men’s, page 8 Emerald Senior Michael Kasahun is a provisional qualifier in the 5000.
