Cook's return right recipe for Oregon.

Byline: Shawn Miller The Register-Guard

One day after throwing a perfect game in late March, Oregon pitcher Alicia Cook was in the hospital.

Her season, and that of the Oregon softball team, would never be the same.

Up to that point, Cook's resume included 17 straight wins and an earned-run average of less than 1.00, and she was a big reason for the team's best start in school history.

But, it turned out, the junior from Elmira High School was invincible only on the mound.

What's been termed a bacterial infection, requiring two separate stays in the hospital, has sidelined Cook for 11 of Oregon's 15 Pac-10 Conference games, including the past eight.

That the Ducks will be happy to have her back on the field for their final homestand - she's expected to pitch this weekend as the 20th-ranked Ducks' (39-14, 4-11 Pac-10) host fifth-ranked Arizona (35-10-1, 11-3-1) at 4 p.m. today, and No. 9 Arizona State on Saturday and Sunday - has to do with more than wins and losses.

`When we didn't know for sure what was wrong with Alicia, we didn't know how serious the illness was," Oregon coach Kathy Arendsen said. "Was this a chronic illness, something that was going to affect her for the rest of her life?

"Suddenly a win or a loss just didn't seem that important. The team is just thrilled to have a really loved member back with us. We've missed her personality and her presence, let alone her pitching.'

Cook tossed a perfect game against Idaho State - the second of her career - on March 24, then was hospitalized for a week before she took the mound again against Oregon State on April 6 with no decision.

She won her 18th straight game the following day against the Beavers, ending an eight-game losing streak to the Ducks' rival.

But eight days after she initially returned - and the day after her 18-game winning streak was snapped in a loss to Washington - Cook was readmitted to the hospital for another week.

"As soon as my antibiotic ended, three days later I was back in the hospital." Cook said. "It's just a bacterial infection. I don't even know what the real name of it is."

As the Ducks played, Cook's father, Gene, went to the home games to give her updates while her mother, Pam, stayed at the hospital.

"That was tough," Pam Cook said of the relapse. "She wasn't quite over it yet, but she was sure headed that way. Then when she got hit again ... more than disappointed.

"There's not much you can do about it. Whatever life brings you, you've got to do the best you can with it."

Cook and her parents drove to Corvallis on April 25 to watch the Ducks win the season series against the Beavers with a 6-5 victory.

Meanwhile, Melissa Rice - who combined with Cook on the mound to produce a 35-3 nonconference record - was Oregon's only available pitcher, forcing the sophomore to pitch in the last 19 games. She's 6-8 in the 14 games that Cook has missed.

"We always knew that each of us were there for the other," Rice said. "I guess we'll just go back to that comfort level that we were in preseason, rely on each other.

`If I do get in a pickle, then I know that she'll come in and dominate.'

In Cook's absence, the Ducks have also struggled at the plate, scoring fewer than three runs per game during conference play. Oregon also has averaged an error per game, while committing only 25 in the 38 nonconference games.

Seemingly, the Ducks have missed Cook, not just for her strikeouts and quality innings - with a 1.55 ERA she has thrown a complete game in 18 of 21 starts, including nine shutouts - but for her composure and presence.

`Cook is just so relaxed, it's almost like she is emotionless on the mound,' said teammate Jenn Salling, who is second in the nation with a .500 batting average, leading the Pac-10's second-best offense in terms of batting average.

`Sometimes I just want to smack her face and get a little smile out of it, or just want to put some fire up her butt to get her mad.'

Despite missing more than one-quarter of the season, Cook ranks third in the conference in fewest runs, hits and walks allowed; she's fourth in ERA and seventh in opponent's batting average and wins.

Those totals helped her climb into the school's top 10 list in career games, complete games, shutouts, innings pitched, strikeouts and victories.

`I think I just stepped up maturity-wise," Cook said. "My mental game was a lot stronger this year. You have to have that confidence to play well.'

Cook is excited to take the mound and find that confidence again. She admitted that facing two top 10 teams in the process isn't ideal, but she welcomes the opportunity to get back on her feet, and help the Ducks do the same.

OREGON SOFTBALL AT HOWE FIELD

Today: vs. UA, 4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday: vs. ASU, 1 p.m.