Courtesy: Albany Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.
- Jessica
Moore struck out nine in a complete-game performance to lead Oregon to a
3-1
win over UAlbany in the first round of the NCAA Softball Regional
Tournament at
Beard Field on Friday afternoon. The Great Danes will play Penn State,
after the Nittany Lions dropped a 2-0 decision to Fordham in the second
game of the day.
The
Great Danes loaded the bases in the top of the first inning, but were unable to
capitalize on a hit by Diane MacDowell along with an Oregon error. UAlbany then scored in the top
of the second, as Jess Bergin led off with a double that sailed over the
centerfielder's head. Bergin then came home on a sacrifice fly by Mel Herdon to
give the Great Danes a 1-0 lead.
Oregon tied the game and then took a one-run lead in the
bottom of the second. Christie Nieto singled up the middle to score Kaitlin
Vitek to tie the score at 1-1. Allie Burger followed with a single to third
base, and Samantha Pappas made it home on a UAlbany throwing error on the play.
The Ducks added another run in the bottom of the sixth as Alexa Peterson
knocked a base hit into center scoring pinch runner Lauren Kotz.
"I
think we played a pretty good game against a tough team," said UAlbany head
coach Chris Cannata, who has now guided the UAlbany program to four NCAA
Regional Tournaments. "We didn't get a big hit when we needed it. We didn't
play scared, which we talked about in our pre-game meeting, and for a group who
hasn't been in here before, they believed that they earned their spot."
Moore improved to 22-9 with the win in the circle for Oregon (40-14). UAlbany's Brittany MacFawn
threw a complete-game, falling to 15-7 on the season, while scattering seven
hits and fanning three Ducks.
"Brittany pitched a great
game," said Cannata. "She kept her composure and threw some great pitches when
we needed them. It's a tough situation for a senior to come into, but for a
freshman it really shows a lot about her character."
UAlbany
(28-22) will play in the tournament's first elimination game against Penn State on Saturday at 5
p.m. at the Nittany
Lion Softball
Park.