A Flying High Flock vs. A Win-hungry Wolfpack
The Oregon Ducks take on the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the Super Regionals. This will be a best-of-three series hosted at Howe field. Since Head Coach Mike White joined the Ducks six seasons ago the team has been to a Super Regional every year. In fact, the team has yet to lose a preliminary regional game, going a perfect 18-0 under Coach White.
The Wolfpack are coming off an upset win as the team dispatched Fordham and #15 George Mason to sweep it’s regional series. NC State is a young team that finished the season winning 12 of its last 13 games. The Ducks should be weary of underestimating the Wolfpack. Just because the team didn’t finish the season in the top 25 doesn’t mean that the Wolfpack aren’t a talented softball team.
NC State has played quality competition all year with 12 games [S1] against teams currently in the Super Regionals. The team is no stranger to tough competition, and is currently playing its best softball of the year. Star pitcher Emily Weiman racked up a 31-15 record over the season and will lead the team against the Ducks.
The Ducks will bring out star pitcher, and all-American favorite, Cheridan Hawkins in the first game of the series. Hawkins boasted an impressive 1.40 ERA as she worked her way to a 29-3 record. The only reason Hawkins had less wins than Weiman is because the Ducks have a legitimate second pitcher in Karissa Hovinga. Hovinga was a respectable 11-1 this season, including a win in the clinching regional game against North Dakota State. Oregon’s 1-2 punch of Hawkins and Hovinga will be crucial if the series goes to a deciding third game. Behind Weiman, the Wolfpack have Courtney Mirabella who is only 7-5 on the year.
Oregon is entering this game with the team’s bats on fire. Janie Takeda was 6-11 in the regional series with five runs scored. She is backed up by a group of power hitters that include Jenna Lilley, Hailey Decker and Koral Costa. The trio has displayed impressive power with a total of 32 homeruns on the season between them. First pitch will be thrown at approximately 6:00pm, this evening. Both these teams will have dig deep in order to come out on top.
