Photo Gallery

EUGENE, Ore.--Karissa Hovinga and Cheridan Hawkins combined on a two-hitter and No. 1/2-ranked University of Oregon connected for seven extra-base hits to defeat North Dakota State University 6-1 in the NCAA Eugene Regional Championship game played Saturday, May 16, before 1,689 spectators at Howe Field.

NDSU finishes the season with a 45-11 record, the most wins since the 2002 season. The Bison reached the regional championship game for the second time in six appearances in the NCAA Division I tournament. Oregon (49-6) hosts the Harrisburg (Va.) winner in the three-game NCAA Super Regional next weekend.

The Ducks came out swinging and jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning when Hailey Decker drilled a two-out, two-run home run. It was Decker's 15th home run of the season as Oregon would score five of its six runs with two outs.

North Dakota State starter Krista Menke (34-6) worked out of trouble in the second with runners on second and third with no outs. Menke ended that threat with two pop outs and a strikeout. She allowed nine hits, struck out six, walked four and hit two batters. Menke did strikeout the final batter she faced to finish with a NDSU and Summit League single-season record 391 strikeouts.

Oregon extended the lead to 3-0 in the top of the third inning. Janelle Lindvall laced a two-out single to right center to score Janie Takeda, who reached on an infield single.

The Ducks threatened again in the fourth. Third baseman Amanda Grable got the first out on an alert play on a slap attempt, but Nikki Udria doubled and advanced to second on a ground out. Menke fielded a waist-high line drive to end the inning.

Oregon struck for two runs with two outs in the fifth inning on Lauren Lindvall's double off the left field fence to extend the lead to 5-0. The Ducks closed out the scoring in the sixth on Takeda's line drive home run to center.

Hovinga (11-1) kept the Bison off-balance for the first six innings and was efficient with 54 pitches including 37 strikes through five frames. The Ducks' pitcher also received help on defense with a pair of double plays. Grable lined a one-out single to left in the second, but the next batter grounded into a double play. Logan Moreland walked with one out in the fourth, but the next batter bounced into a 5-4-3 DP.

North Dakota State averted the shutout in the bottom of the seventh. Alyssa Reina reached on a two-base error and scored on Grable's base hit up the middle. Grable had both of NDSU's hits and was joined on the regional all-tournament team by second baseman Cheyenne Garcia, Reina and Menke.

Hovinga struck out six and walked two over the first six innings to record the win, while regional MVP Hawkins struck out two in the final inning. Janelle Lindvall and Takeda both finished with two hits.

NCAA EUGENE ALL-REGIONAL TEAM
C Alyssa Reina, NDSU (.364 BA, 2 2B, 2 RBI)
1B Hailey Decker, Oregon (HR, 5 R, 3 RBI)
2B Cheyenne Garcia, NDSU (.333 BA, HR, 2 2B, 9 TB)
3B Amanda Grable, NDSU (.333 BA, 4 RBI)
SS Nikki Udria, Oregon (.333 BA, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 1.000 fld%)
OF Janie Takeda, Oregon (.545 BA, 5 R, 2 2B, HR, 1 RBI, 2 SB, 11 TB)
OF Koral Costa, Oregon (HR, 2 2B, 3 R, 4 RBI, 4 BB)
OF Michelle Solomon, Fresno State (.500 BA, HR, 2 R)
UT Jenna Lilley, Oregon (.545 OBA, 2B, RBI, 1.000 fld%) 
P Cheridan Hawkins, Oregon (3 app, 1.50 ERA, 2-0, 14.0 IP, 4 H, 25 K)
P Krista Menke, NDSU (4 app, 2.59 ERA, 2-2, 2 SHO, 4 CG, 27.0 IP, 29 K)
MVP Cheridan Hawkins, Oregon