(Photo Courtesy of Eric Evans and Oregon Athletics)
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Cheridan Hawkins posted the third no-hitter of her career and the 22nd in program history as the No. 10 ranked Oregon softball team run ruled Ohio State, 9-0, on Saturday afternoon at the Easton Desert Classic.
The Ducks (8-1) won their eighth straight game, outscoring opponents 62-17 in that span. Oregon has shut out three foes already this season.
“Cheridan was attacking early in counts,” said head coach Mike White. “She did a good job of locating the ball and playing to our defense. Plus we gave her all the run support she deserves.”
Hawkins, who broke her own school record on Friday night with 18 strikeouts in a 3-1 win over UNLV, shined yet again for the Ducks in her young career.
Against Ohio State, Hawkins did not allow a hit or issue a walk, as the lone baserunner for Ohio State was pinch hitter Amanda Abbruzzese, who reached on an error by the shortstop to start the fifth inning.
Hawkins recorded four strikeouts while facing just one over the minumum. While she dominated with the strikeout against UNLV, Hawkins used her defense to shut out the Buckeyes.
Hawkins started the game with a flyout and two grounders in the first inning before getting a strikeout, a grounder and a pop out in the second. Two more flyouts and a swinging strikeout followed in the third inning while it took just eight pitches for Hawkins to retire the side in the fourth. Ohio State’s lead runner reached on the error to start the fifth, but Hawkins did not let it bother her, as she forced two pop outs and a flyout. She ended the game in the sixth with two strikeouts and a ground ball to first.
Hawkins had three balls in a count just twice in the game.
Offensively, the Ducks got more than enough runs in the second inning alone. Oregon tallied four runs in the second on three hits and an error. Kailee Cuico homered in the third while Courtney Ceo hit a long ball in the sixth.
“Courtney is one of the toughest outs around right now,” White said. “She has the whole package at the plate, hitting the long ball now too.”
Ceo went 3-for-4 against the Buckeyes with two RBIs after she hit a grand slam earlier in the day against Chattanooga. Ceo is hitting a team-high .594 and hasn’t struck out once. She has three doubles, one triple and two home runs with a team-high 12 RBIs.
Cuico had two hits against the Buckeyes, including her home run. Koral Costa drew two walks and scored a pair of runs.
Oregon closes out the Easton Desert Classic at 11:15 a.m. tomorrow against Cal State Northridge.
