Oregon softball coach Kathy Arendsen will not return next season, the coach was informed Monday by Oregon athletic director Pat Kilkenny, a victim of the worst season in the program’s past 25 years. 

Arendsen’s contract will not be renewed when it expires on June 30, which will end her seven-year tenure in Eugene, where she is the program’s winningest coach of all-time with a record of 234-176. 

This season the Ducks were 16-34 and 3-18 in the Pacific-10 Conference, eighth (and last) in the conference, the third time her team had finished that low since the Ducks were 37-19 and 10-11 in 2003, her first year as coach and the program’s best finish in league. 

“It was shocking,” said Arendsen, who said the last time she spoke with Kilkenny before Monday was before the season began in February. “It’s a tough time. The next coach is going to be very fortunate.”

The Ducks went to five NCAA Tournaments during her seven seasons. 

Arendsen, who is having players over tonight at her house for a barbecue, said she has received numerous calls today from current and former players. 

Arendsen will have both her knees replaced tomorrow in a surgery that will keep her out 4-6 weeks, a time she says will be used to look for her next opportunity. 

“I’m not going to be much of anything but it will give me a wonderful chance to consider options,” she said Wednesday. 

“After reviewing all aspects of the program, I felt it would be in the best interests of our returning student-athletes to make a change at this time,” Kilkenny said in a media release. “My decision wasn’t based on any one single facet within the program, it was more of an accumulation of multiple aspects that led to this decision.”

Junior outfielder Neena Bryant, freshman pitcher Samantha Skillingstad and senior outfielder Sari-Jane Jenkins were all honored on all Pacific-10 Conference teams just a week ago, part of the 12 players during her time in Eugene her players were honored by the Pac-10. Four more players were named All-Americans and six All-Region, including Bryant, named so last week. 

The university said it will begin its national search for a replacement immediately.

Bryant was one of 14 players on the second team, an honor she earned as a sophomore, as well. She tied for the team lead with eight home runs this year, and led Oregon with a .314 average, 49 hits, a .538 slugging percentage and a .345 on-base percentage and with 27 stolen bases that were the sixth-most in a single season in UO history. She is the ninth Duck to earn second-team honors in head coach Kathy Arendsen’s tenure of seven years in Eugene. Understandably, she won Top Offensive Player honors in a vote by her teammates on Saturday.

Skillingstad earned a spot on the All-Freshman team, leading Oregon with a 2.36 ERA, 12 wins, 37 appearances, 28 starts, 17 complete games, four shutouts, 178.1 innings pitched and 170 strikeouts. Those strikeouts are the fourth-most punchouts in a single season at UO.

With Arendsen, you’d think they were 33-15, not 15-33. That’s probably her tactic. The present has been awfully ugly, but today the Ducks salvaged a bit during senior weekend with a 2-1 win over Arizona in 10 innings at Howe Field. Something worked today. 

Blair Williamson got a single to lead off the 10th inning, then moved to second base with a Ashley Kivett single. Williamson got into second barely beating the tag after Kivett’s single went deep up the middle and the second baseman made a play on the ball. 

Lindsey Chambers came through with a double to the left-center gap on the first pitch off UA’s Sarah Akamine that scored Williamson. 

Oregon’s Sam Skillingstad threw a gem of a game, although I don’t have the stats right in front of me. Arizona got 10 hits off the Ducks, but only one run. 

The Ducks take on Arizona State in a two-day series that lasts through Saturday tomorrow at Howe Field, beginning at 4 p.m.

Oregon managed only three hits while allowing 14 to visiting No. 3 UCLA Saturday at Howe Field, losing 9-2 in a decision Oregon head coach Kathy Arendsen called “extremely disappointing.”

The loss is Oregon’s third in a row. The two teams meet again Sunday at Howe Field at noon.

A day after getting two hits against Washington, the Ducks couldn’t find rhythm against the Bruins’ Whitney Baker, who threw 4.1 innings, allowing three hits and two runs with seven strikeouts.

Arendsen was dismayed by her team’s energy level from the start.

“I didn’t think we played with much energy,” she said.

Oregon’s hitting wasn’t a matter of quality but quantity. Two of the Ducks’ hits counted for solo home runs. Center fielder Neena Bryant hit a full-count solo home run in the first inning to put Oregon ahead 1-0. Kaitlin Vitek added a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The Bruins, meanwhile, turned to Julie Burney for its early offense. The junior third baseman singled in Amanda Kamekona in the top of the second inning to tie the score at 1. In her next at-bat in the top of the fourth inning, Burney drove Melissa Rice’s pitch deep to centerfield for a three-run home run that gave UCLA a 4-1 lead, a lead it would never relinquish.

Bryant said the Ducks’ hitting can turn around by tomorrow.

“I just think we need to be patient, we got really anxious,” she said.

Rice was replaced in the top of the fifth inning by Brittany Rumfelt on the mound after allowing a solo home run to Katie Schroeder, but Rumfelt didn’t find any better luck against the Bruins’ bats, which recorded 14 hits on the afternoon.

Rumfelt allowed four runs in her 2.2 innings of work, which ended in the top of the seventh after allowing a bases-loaded single that scored two UCLA runners. Rice then came back in to pitch.

Vitek, whose substitution quickly led to a home run, was pleased with her performance but couldn’t speak for why the team couldn’t match it.

“One game we can score 12 runs and the next score none,” Vitek said. “We didn’t come out wit hthat today, but it’s unfair to judge why. Personally, it was good to finally show them I can help out.”

It only took two pitches to end it.

Ashley Charters and Danielle Lawrie each hit solo home runs off Skillingstad in the fifth inning to break a scoreless deadlock and provide the final score for No. 4 Washington, which broke a two-game losing streak to move to 32-7 overall, and 5-4 in the Pac-10. Charters, an All-American second baseman, hit a shot to dead centerfield on a 1-2 count to put Washington up 1-0.

After getting two Huskies into flyouts, Lawrie hit a no-doubt home run to left field that outfielder Sari-Jane Jenkins didn’t even bother to move to contest. he next hitter, Alicia Blake, singled up the middle, sending Skillingstad to the dugout after 4.2 innings, allowing seven hits.

“I missed two pitches and they found them,” Skillingstad said. “It’s nice to play against a good pitcher.”

Oregon’s Melissa Rice pitched 2.1 innings in relief, giving up no runs on two hits, including a strikeout with the bases loaded to end the top of the seventh inning.

Oregon drops to 13-24, 2-8 in the Pac-10, losers of four out its last five games.

Lawrie, a candidate for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award, moves to 23-4 on the season. She walked her first batter, Sari-Jane Jenkins, before retiring the next 14 hitters. Oregon’s Carlyn Re broke through with a single through the third base hole against a defense that was playing in in the bottom of the sixth inning. Oregon would place runners at second and third in the inning before Cortney Kivett gound out to first base to end the inning, ending Oregon’s best shot at scoring.

The Ducks sent more than three batters to the plate only twice in the game, including the sixth inning. In their last at-bats in the bottom of the seventh, Neena Bryant ripped a single through third base only to have Lawrie strike out the next three hitters in order. Lawrie finished with 11 strikeouts.

“You gotta give Lawrie a lot of credit. She’s one of the best pitchers in the country,” Oregon head coach Kathy Arendsen said. “We thought our pitchers did well. This could have been ugly, but we held in. That’s growth.”

Oregon committed four errors in the game, two of which were committed by second baseman Kelsey Chambers in the first two innings. None came back to haunt the Ducks.

“We made defensive plays and pitches when we had to,” Arendsen said.

Friday’s game also marked the homecoming for former Oregon player Jenn Salling, who played for Oregon from 2005 to 2007 before leaving the team to concentrate on playing with the Canadien national team. After playing in the Beijing Olympics, Salling told Oregon she wouldn’t return to the team, and transferred to Washington to be closer to her British Columbia home. Her first hit of the season came off Skillingstad in the top of the third inning.

Oregon returns to Howe Field to play No. 3 UCLA on Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at noon.

NEENA BRYANT

Q: Where were some of your key at-bats this weekend?

NB: ”The last one was the biggest for me. It was really frustrating not to get an RBI earlier, so it was great to be able to myself, and made me feel better. It was a good note to end the weekend on.”

Q: How are you seeing the ball at the plate?

NB: “I’m starting to see it a little better. I’ve been struggling a little lately, I’m now contacting the ball more solidly. I put a little more pressure on myself recently, so it’s nice to start to get rid of that.”

Q” You’re such a fun player to watch in the field – you cover a lot of ground confidently. Does having that half inning out there help you recollect yourself and get confidence back if you have an off at-bat?

NB: “I like the fact that I can rely on my defensive skills. Hitting is always an up-and-down battle. I like to go out in the field and help my teammates with my glove. “

Q: Where there teamamtes performances that were exciting for you to see?

NB: “Kaitlin had a great day – it’s nice to see her making solid contact and feeling comfortable at the bat. I feel like the team is gaining more confidence – that’s a good thing to see – as we head into the Pac-10 it’s important to feel more assured.”

Q: Anything else stand out this weekend?

NB: “Mikayla is doing a really great job – she’s going to be a really strong asset. It’s nice that we have so may pitchers to go, especially if someone got hurt like a couple of years ago.”

Q: You’ve personally been put in stressful environments before as one of the team’s top hitters – what are your tricks for dealing with pressure?

NB: “For me it’s mentally about trying to let it go. Anybody can get frustrated and it can build up. I’ll turn to my parents if I need to for support. (Since he was my coach) My dad understands what I’m going through, and he’s good at helping me. He’ll give me some basic tips and boost my confidence.”

KAITLIN VITEK

Q: On Sunday we saw a different Duck team. Talk about that.

KV: “We were really able to relax Saturday night and that made a huge difference. We were able to joke around last night, lighten the mood and let our personalities come out. It loosened us up, and we played the game the way we know we can.”

Q: You looked really confident at the plate and had some successful lengthy at-bats – do you feel more composed in those situations, even when you’re behind in the count?

KV: “The past week, I’ve been getting into a better rhythm at the play. I’ve started a certain routine, and it finally came through, and I’m seeing the ball and hitting it well again. In a couple of those at-bats, being down 0-2 is a tough place for any hitter, but I’ve gotten better at working through it one pitch as a time.”

Q: What were some of the most fun moments on the field this weekend?

KV: “It’s always great to see a freshman like Mikayla step up and get her first win of the season. It was great for our team’s confidence to play two games with no errors and see the same team we see in practice. Watching Neena hit the ball like she did is always fun. It was a great weekend for a lot of players, and finding themselves.”

Q: Defensively did you see a difference in your play behind the plate this weekend? 

KV: “I felt better. I called better games, and Mikayla also did a great job of getting ahead. We both felt the team’s support every step of the way, and that everybody on defense had each others’ backs.”

Q: Talk about Mikayla’s performance on the mound from a catcher’s viewpoint.

KV: “She was ahead in every count which gives us so much more leeway calling the game, and that was amazing. Even if a runner got on, she was right back ready to get the next better. She wasn’t just a freshman pitcher anymore, and showed us what she can do. We work really together. She knows occasionally when to shake me off, and I understand what she’s thinking, and we’re ready to try something different. She is able to use different pitches at different places and is comfortable moving it around.”

MIKAYLA ENDICOTT (freshman who won both games Sunday, one as a start and one in relief)

Q: You’ve come a long way in a few weekends – talk about this weekend’s experience.

ME: “I felt like we really came together as a team. It took longer than we would have liked, but it’s happening. For me, I was able to come in and help the team. I tried to stay ahead of the hitters, be focused on doing my job. Kaitlin (Vitek) caught so well and helped me up well. She set up my pitches and called a great game, and also kept the team going at the plate. I know there’ still room for me to improve. The last games were more representative of who I am, and it’s nice that it’s finally happening.”

Q: Talk about the Colorado State game yesterday – it was your first complete game for the Ducks, and the only run they scored was unearned.

 ME: “It definitely gave me some confidence. It was fun to start again (it was her second college start), and I controlled the game as much as I could. Being able to go the whole way was a confidence booster. I feeling like I’m growing so much every game, and I want to keep maturing.  There are still some little things I can work on, along with staying confident.”

Q: Talk about today’s games vs. Utah and UC Davis.

ME: “Getting ahead early in the first game vs. Utah was important for the team. It helped us get in a groove and allowed me to throw my game. I felt like the team had more fun out there. It was a great atmosphere, and allowed us to come together.”

Q: You’re seeing the freshmen continue to make more and more of an impact each week – is that fun to see from your classmates?

ME: “It’s awesome to see us gelling and realize that we’re not just freshmen anymore. We’re members of the team and contributing and helping win. We’re happy to do whatever part we can.”

Q: What were some of the memorable moments for you on the mound this weekend?

ME: “Coming into the UC Davis game when there was a runner on third and then striking the girl out. That was key since if the runner scored it could change the game.”

Q: Are you equally comfortable in relief as a starter, and do you approach them differently?

ME: ”In both situations, I have to be confident and do my thing. It doesn’t matter if it’s facing only one batter in the seventh or pitching the whole game – I’m ready any way I can help the team. In relief, I particularly focus on throwing for my teammates, especially my fellow pitchers Melissa, Brittany and Sam. I want to set the opposing batters down because I want to show them that I have their back and they have mine. That’s the great thing about the pitchers – we are all like that towards each other.”

As part of the tryout, approximately 160 athletes will compete for spots on the USA Women’s Volleyball National Team, USA Women’s World University Games Team and/or the USA Women’s Senior A2 Team.

Players selected to the 24-person A2 Team will likely compete in the 2009 USA Adult Open Championships Open Division, May 23-26 in Minneapolis – the sport’s national championships – while the 2009 World University Games squad will compete June 30-July 12 in Belgrade, Serbia. To be eligible to compete in the latter event, team members must be 17-28 years old and enrolled in college or received a degree in 2008.

“I’m really excited to be going,” Newcombe said, “since I’ve always dreamed of playing at the highest level. This weekend give us a chance to keep making that a reality. We also really want to thank the Oregon coaches for being so supportive and sending us – it will help us continue to raise our level of play.”

Kathy Arendsen’s softball team lost both its first-day games in a tournament in Cathedral City, Calif., Thursday. Oregon (5-8), lost to No. 1 Alabama 5-0. Earlier in the day, Oregon lost 3-0 to No. 20 North Carolina. Yesterday, Oregon lost to Texas 9-0. 

Now, back to baseball on the blog.

Bryant led Oregon last season in an impressive five offensive categories: batting (.330), slugging (.536), hits (64), home runs (10) and multi-hit games (16). She ranked second in four others: on-base pct. (.351), doubles (10) and runs (28) and third in steals (23).

From Oregon media services’ Geoff Thurner: 

“All-time for UO, she stands top-10 all-time in a season in doubles (4th, 14, 2007), home runs (10th, 10, 2007, ‘08),  extra-base hits (5th, 25, 2007) and total bases (9th, 104, 2007, ‘08),  and ninth in career stolen bases (33).”

Oregon’s season begins next week at the Kajikawa Tournament in Tempe, Ariz.