Photoessay #237 - ABC Wednesday Z Zero

A lot of numbers adorn this scoreboard but I want to focus on a particular ZERO, the one under the the '7' across from the 'ASU'. The last home game of the season for the University of Oregon Ducks and last appearance at Howe Field for the senior players.

The Oregon Ducks had a tough season handicapped by an illness of their primary pitcher. They started out tremendously strong, their competition pre-season did not include too many ranked teams. During Pac 10 play (where EVERYBODY is ranked), they struggled by with one pitcher. If Melissa got in trouble, nobody to go to except maybe Kristi the first baseman who hadn't pitched since high school. Still they won 7 Pac 10 games (losing 14). Arizona State, led by ace pitched Katie Burkhart and strong hitter Katie Cochran, had defeated Oregon the day before in an 8-0 mercy win. The Ducks battled back on their Senior Day, narrowly defeating ASU 6-5.

As always, that seventh inning is the toughest, can you hold on against such a powerful team especially with Katie Cochran the last up? The zero is registered and the Oregon Ducks come away with their senior day win.

Second picture is the team on their way to their meeting after the win. My girl on the right, the clue is that she's covered with dirt. As usual.

From http://www.goducks.com (Official U Oregon athletics site)

Oregon’s 2007 senior class went out in style, with a little help from the freshmen, as 18th-ranked Oregon knocked off ninth-ranked Arizona State, 6-5, on Sunday afternoon at Howe Field.

The game was the Ducks last regular season contest of 2007 at Howe Field. Oregon travels to the Bay Area to wrap up its regular season schedule at Cal and Stanford next week.

It was only fitting that senior Suzie Barnes, who last night was voted by her teammates as this year’s most inspirational player, was the catalyst in both innings that put runs on the board for the Ducks.