The Oregon softball team is probably wishing it could play Arizona more than three times a year.

The Ducks defeated the No. 8 Arizona softball team 2-1 at Hillenbrand Stadium on Friday, making it the second time they have beaten the Wildcats this season, accounting for all of their victories in the Pacific 10 Conference.

“”We gave away that game,”” said UA interim head coach Larry Ray. “”This one is pretty tough. We had this one and let it go. We gave them way too many opportunities and they cashed in on them.””

Arizona stranded 14 runners on base and eight in scoring position as it could only manage one run against Pac-10 cellar-dweller Oregon (29-20, 2-9 Pacific 10 Conference).

“”Tonight was awful,”” said UA pitcher Taryne Mowatt. “”Only one run and a few defensive mistakes (and) we gave them their only two wins in Pac-10 (play).””

Mowatt began the game strong, striking out seven Ducks through four innings while only allowing one hit and one walk. But in the fifth the wheels began to fall off thanks to a few defensive miscues.

Errors by third baseman Janae Leles and Mowatt eventually allowed the Ducks to tie the game at 1.

Then in the seventh, Mowatt walked Oregon’s nine-hole hitter and she eventually came around to score the winning run.

Arizona loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the frame, but right fielder Cyndi Duran hit a liner to shallow left that was caught by Oregon shortstop Lovena Chaput to end the game.

Arizona’s only run came in the fourth when Duran lined a double over Oregon left fielder Sari Jane Jenkins’s head, scoring pinch runner Danielle Rodriguez.

“”It was awesome,”” Mowatt said of Duran’s double. “”She was the only person to come through in the clutch and we couldn’t ask her to do it twice.””

UA head coach Mike Candrea, who has taken a leave from the team for the season to coach the U.S. Olympic Team, watched the game from left field and commented on the tumultuous season of his ace, Mowatt.

“”Right now it is about her gaining some confidence,”” Candrea said. “”She’s a tough young lady and as she showed last year, she can put it together when it counts. I think she been kind of fighting it a little bit mentally and right now she just needs to go back to some basics and relax and just pitch the way she can.””

When asked what Arizona needs to do differently against Oregon State on Saturday and Sunday, Mowatt said, “”If I knew that, we wouldn’t be losing these games. We need to try something different because this obviously isn’t working.””