The University of Great Falls softball team comes to Eastern Oregon University after winning eight of its last nine games.
The Argos just completed a weeklong trip to Tucson, Ariz., playing 17 games in a seven-day span. UGF faced teams from all over the country, including ranked NAIA opponents. Great Falls not only picked up experience, but challenged elite programs like No. 21 William Penn and No. 14 Madonna. The Argos have won four straight, outscoring those opponents 24-10.
Returning to lead the team in 2009-2010, is a pair of pitchers in senior Sarah DeVore and junior Ashley Densmore. Head coach Gary Ehnes is expecting big things from these veterans. A big bat that's back in Ehnes' lineup is that of senior Jenna Rosenberg.
Headlining the Argos' recruiting class was a trio of junior college transfers. Amanda Morris looks to continue her career patrolling the outfield after transferring from Dawson Community College. Also, a pair of Washington products joined UGF this year in juniors Anna Owen and Brittani Thibodeaux. Owen is an outfielder who comes to Great Falls after a two-year stint at Lower Columbia College, while Thibodeaux is a catcher who transferred in from Shoreline Community College.
UGF is led offensively by outfielders Owen (.400 1 HR 14 RBI) and Morris (.395 2 HR 9 RBI), along with first-baseman Rosenberg (.273 0 HR 17 RBI), while in the circle, Densmore (3-3 6.18 ERA) and Casey Olson (3-0 2.95) have thrown the most innings.
The Mountaineers swept Great Falls last season on April 12, 2009, in La Grande. Eastern scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning and won 2-1 in the first game. Graduated EOU players, Megan Monaghan and Megan Platz, each had a RBI in the win. Eastern Oregon jumped out to a 7-0 lead after two innings in Game 2 and cruised to a 8-0 win.
Great Falls last won at EOU on April 13, 2008. The Argos won the doubleheader opener, 3-1, but would fall in the nightcap, 5-4. The programs split the 2007 meetings in La Grande.
The Argos first season finished with a 3-13 record while improving to 14-17 during their second season which included nine Division I & II games. The 2007 season also watched the Argo softball team go 13-10 against NAIA opponents in only their second year. The Argo school win loss record is 17-30.
Sunday's Game 1 first pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Peggy Anderson Field on the Eastern Oregon University campus.
