EUGENE -- When 2,061 fans erupted into applause after Cheridan Hawkins ended the Eugene Super Regional with a strikeout to clinch a 9-3 win over NC State, the Ducks celebrated.

They jumped and hugged and laughed. It was a big accomplishment for this Oregon team, completing a goal created from the despair of an unexpected loss a year ago in Oklahoma City to Alabama. The Ducks were jovial, and the largest crowd ever assembled at Howe Field saluted its team in the final game played at the historic stadium.

The Ducks were happy, but the celebration was subdued. Over the last five months, Oregon has played like one of the best teams in the country. And now, after sweeping the regional and super regional rounds, the Ducks will have a chance to prove it.

"Unless you're there, you can't win it," Oregon coach Mike White said. "This is an important step for us. Our emotions are held back a little bit because we know that this is just the beginning of our next step."

In the postgame news conference, it was only White who showed any emotion. Flanked by Karissa Hovinga, who picked up the win by allowing no earned runs and two hits over five innings, and Janelle Lindvall, whose seventh-inning three-run home run put a nail in the Wolfpack's coffin, it was only Oregon's sixth-year head coach whose eyes welled with tears.

Since taking over the program, White has led the Ducks to six postseasons. This week's trip to Oklahoma City will be the third time in four years. The Ducks have built a following in Eugene, and Saturday's send off to Howe Field was more sweet than bitter, as next season the brand-new Jane Sanders Stadium will stand in its place, a deserved home for now one of the nation's premier programs.

White is again leading the Ducks for a chance at the program's first national title, and on Saturday Oregon never strayed from the philosophy he's preached since arriving in Eugene. The Ducks relied on their patience and speed to score four runs in the fourth inning and then relied on strong pitching to ride toward the win.

For the second day in a row, Oregon pounced on NC State starter Emily Weiman the second time through the order. After scoring four runs in the fourth inning on Friday, the Ducks matched that total on Saturday, using four RBI singles from Koral Costa, Danica Mercado, Alyssa Gillespie and Nicki Udria to blow the game open.

The Ducks thrived using a lesson they learned from last year's World Series loss. Instead of trying to score all the runs with one swing, Oregon spread the wealth. It's the "pass the bat" approach, White said.

"We were trying to hit a home run with the last out and all that kind of stuff when really, we just needed base runners," White said of the Alabama loss. "And that's what we do well. Everything we've done this year, we've always had really a lot of base runners."

After the inning, the Ducks led 5-1, a lead more than safe with Oregon's arms. Hovinga was lifted in the sixth inning to a standing ovation. In her stead came ace Cheridan Hawkins, who struck out six of the seven batters she faced to end the game.

"Oregon is a heck of a team," NC State coach Shawn Rychcik said. "We've played LSU. We've played Alabama. We've played Louisiana-Lafayette. We've played Florida. This is probably the most complete team we've played all year. From the hitting to the pitching and the fielding, they're going to be real hard to beat in Oklahoma."

And that's always been the plan for this team. The Ducks have won three Pac-12 titles in a row and will now travel to a city that's grown familiar over the last four years. White isn't surprised that the Ducks haven't won it in their first two tries. Winning a World Series takes patience and experience. Florida didn't win it its first time, White said. Neither did Alabama.

This year, there may not be a more talented team in the country. Hawkins has been dominant and the lineup is like the 1927 Yankees one through nine. It's not a surprise the Ducks are making a return trip to Oklahoma City, but now they say it's finally time to earn their spot amongst the softball powers.

"It's an important step to our goal," Lindvall said. "This team has worked hard all year. We've all had the same goal. So, it's just one more step."

-- Tyson Alger

talger@oregonian.com

@tysonalger