By Dylan Farrell
EUGENE, OR — Oregon will take on the Portland State Vikings on Tuesday afternoon in hopes of making a statement and turning the tide on a skid that has seen the team post a 1-8 record through the month of April that included an abysmal seven-game losing streak that saw the team’s ranking drop from 12 to 17 nationally. Portland State enters the game on the hells of a five-game winning streak over which they have outscored opponents 26-6. Oregon hopes to repeat the outcome of the teams’ earlier matchup, where the Ducks decisively defeated the Vikings 7-0. A mood-setting victory would start a difficult stretch for Oregon on a positive note, as the team is set to play its final nine games of conference play evenly split among Washington, Oregon State and Stanford.
Pitching has proven to be Oregon’s Achilles heel since the team’s close series loss to UCLA earlier this month. The Ducks have held opponents to fewer than 9 runs only once in their last six games, when they allowed three in an 11-3 run rule victory over Arizona on Friday.
Pitching:
Portland State — The Vikings have a clear-cut starter in Olivia Grey, who has posted a stellar 1.55 ERA through her 27 appearances this year alongside 15 credited wins through said games. Though she has played three straight games and is coming off a game in which she pitched all seven innings, it seems unlikely that PSU would choose another pitcher to step into the circle against an opponent as tough and important as Oregon. The Vikings have had no problem using her as a workhorse, as she’s played in five consecutive games for the team. Should they opt to rest Grey, the next logical choice would be Allicitie Frost, who posts a 4.80 ERA through 17 appearances and a WHIP of 1.52.
Oregon — It seems unlikely that Oregon will opt to start ace Stevie Hansen against an unranked opponent out of its conference, so they’ll likely choose a different starter for what should be a relatively easy matchup. The team’s favorite option thus far has been Makenna Kliethermes, whose 22 appearances this year are good for second on the team behind the aforementioned Hansen. She’s also a good bounce back candidate, following a disastrous Arizona series where she allowed 10 earned runs in two appearances. Kliethermes appeared in Oregon’s last game against Arizona however, so it’s more likely that the team will opt to start its third-favorite pitching option, Jordan Dail. Dail posts a 4.06 ERA in her 20 appearances, alongside a WHIP of 1.29.
Batting Numbers:
Portland State Projected Lineup:
- SS Olivia Dean
- 1B Emily Johansen
- LF Logan Riggenbach
- C Paetynn Lopez
- DH Mariah Rodriguez
- 3B Shea Garcia
- RF Kiara McCrea
- CF Alexa Cepeda
- 2B Maddie Thompson
Oregon Projected Lineup:
- CF Hanna Delgado
- 2B Allee Bunker
- C Terra McGowan
- 3B Rachel Cid
- 1B KK Humphreys
- RF Ariel Carlson
- DP Gabby Herrera
- LF Jasmine Williams
- S Paige Sinicki
Keys for Oregon:
- Stop the bleeding on the mound
- Keep Stevie Hansen rested ahead of the Washington series
- Keep the bats hot and take advantage of PSU’s
- Make a statement with a strong win
Final Thoughts
Oregon’s offense should be more than enough to take care of Portland State on Tuesday. The Ducks will likely be resting ace pitcher Stevie Hansen ahead of the series against No. 17 Washington this weekend. Don’t expect a shutout of Portland State like earlier this year, but the Vikings are unlikely to be a significant threat.
Prediction:
Oregon’s pitching may show some cracks, but not enough to bring PSU into a close game after the first couple of innings. Oregon wins by 5+ runs.