Ducks, Beavers beat ranked foes
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
OREGON 5, Arizona 2
• Gwen Svekis hit two home runs for four RBIs, and Shannon Rhodes hit a solo HR, and Megan Kleist allowed no earned runs as the No. 5 Ducks won their series opener against the No. 9 Wildcats.
Kleist (10-5) gave up eight hits in seven innings, with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Arizona tied the score with a run in the sixth, but Oregon scored four runs in the bottom of that inning for a 5-1 lead. Svekis hit a three-run homer, and Rhodes followed with her blast.
Oregon improved to 30-6 overall and 5-2 in the Pac-12, while UA fell to 27-7, 6-4.
The teams are scheduled to meet again at noon Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, also at Jane Sanders Stadium.
Arizona State 10, OREGON STATE 1 (5 innings)
OREGON STATE 4, Arizona State 2
• The No. 25 Beavers took the afternoon nightcap for a split to open their series with the seventh-ranked Sun Devils.
In Game 2, OSU had a 4-0 lead after three innings. ASU got its runs in the sixth, and finished with five hits to the Beavers' four.
Mariah Mazon (9-9) went the distance, with three walks and six strikeouts.
Hope Brandner went 2 for 3 with four RBIs in the win.
The Sun Devils built a 1-0 lead in the first game and held OSU to four hits, as Giselle Juarez ran her record to 16-1.
Oregon State is 21-16 overall and 4-7 in Pac-12 play.
Arizona State is 32-5, 6-2.
The rubber match is noon Sunday.