Already giving a Division 1 team Moore than it can handle
February 16th, 2010, 5:51 pm · 1 Comment · posted by Ryan Klocke
Oregon's Jessica Moore -- aka: that pitcher who used to embarrass everyone out at Sutter High -- pitches in her first collegiate game on Saturday against Creighton. (Photo from www.GoDucks.com)
It was a foregone conclusion when Jessica Moore was in high school. Whenever Sutter High’s star pitcher — beast, annihilator, 70-mph hurling monster are also acceptable terms – would step into the circle, you knew that you were about to witness a nasty display of dominance.
It just wasn’t fair. Moore throwing a drop ball to an opposing prep batter blurred the line between one-sided and utterly ridiculous. Every at-bat looked like the softball version of Globetrotters vs. Generals. Five-hundred-plus times as a senior she recorded a strikeout – a nice achievement to garnish all of those perfect games and no-hitters.
Moore’s efforts earned her a free ride to University of Oregon. And on Saturday, in her collegiate debut, playing as a true freshman, Moore did to Creighton what she did to all those poor, outmatched kids from Wheatland and Gridley and Orland and Winters…
Tempe, Ariz — In her collegiate debut, freshman pitcher Jessica Moore fanned 12 batters to help the University of Oregon softball team (2-0) beat Creighton, 8-2, and finish off an opening day sweep in the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe Friday afternoon.
The Sutter, Calif,. native Moore (1-0) notched the third-most strikeouts in a game for Oregon and retired 20 of the last 21 batters she faced with the lone blemish a walk with two outs in the sixth inning.
!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Seriously, wow.
The first time rocking Ducks’ colors, she makes playing against Division I program — one that went on to knock off the No. 15 team in the country the next day, mind you — look like just another day against a BVL opponent out at Belza field.
Moore had her struggles early, then regained her composure, then picked up a collegiate win in her first try, then went on to give the same, modesty-laden quotes she used to rattle off ad nauseum to us here at the Appeal.
“I’m proud of how we played,” Moore said. “Everything we accomplished together today we did as a team. The opening games are an important first step in a long season, and we really pulled together like we have all fall and winter.”
The following game didn’t work out as well for Moore. For the first time in forever (44 games), Moore lost. Good. Unlike in high school, Moore is actually being challenged. It will be exciting to see how she grows over the next four years. When it comes time for her to graduate, I may very well be writing about her and those poor, outmatched kids at Stanford and Cal and Washington and USC…
–Ryan Klocke
GoDucks.com: Ducks Clip Blue Jays, 8-2, to Cap Opening Day Sweep
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Congratulations to a premier high school athlete and soon to be collegiate star. She is one to watch. Great job Jessica…Yuba City, Sutter, Marysville and more are proud of you.