LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University softball team's negative streaks have come to an end, a new positive one has begun. The Mountaineers swept The College of Idaho Thursday, 1-0 and 6-2.
EOU got a lot of help from its phenomenal freshman, Jen McDonnell. She threw 14 innings in her first meeting with rival, The College of Idaho (11-15) (7-7). McDonnell picked up a pair of wins and hit a key three-run home run in the second game.
Eastern Oregon (11-17) (3-11) ended its 13-game losing streak, and won for the first time this season at Peggy Anderson Field. The Yotes fell for the third consecutive time with the Game 2 loss.
The sweep marked the first time EOU swept a doubleheader since March 14's victories at Walla Walla University. It was the first time Eastern beat C of I since May 3, 2008. It was also the first Mountaineer sweep over The College of Idaho since April 14, 2006, when the school was titled Albertson College.
EOU won in dramatic fashion in the first game in eight innings when
Ashli Hughes slid across home
plate in the bottom half of the inning with two outs.
After a scoreless first seven and a half innings, the Mountaineers put two runners on base, Hughes on third and
Krista Kountz was on second. Both players reached on singles with one out in the inning, Kountz advanced on a steal.
Suzie Espinoza brought in the winning run with a line drive to right field that was caught by Kayla Webb. Webb launched a ball into home plate but catcher Kalie Kurdy could not handle the catch as Hughes came sliding across the plate. Hughes finished the game 2 for 3 at the plate.
McDonnell threw all eight innings allowing only five hits, while holding the Yotes scoreless. She walked five batters and struck out seven in Game 1. Jody Zillner was credited with the loss despite striking out 14 EOU batters. The senior allowed six hits and one earned run. She walked only three batters.
Espinoza brought in the first run of the second game with a single to center field in the bottom of the second inning, scoring
Shelby Spencer. C of I matched the run in next inning with an error scoring Daniyelle Villyard.
Neither team scored until McDonnell connected on her home run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The three-run home run was the highlight of a five-run inning for Eastern.
Ashleigh Byrne's double to left field scored a pair of EOU runners. College of Idaho added a run in the top of the sixth inning.
The sweep will be a highlight on 2010 schedule for the Mountaineers as the Yotes were the Cascade Collegiate Conference preseason league favorites to defend their title from last season. C of I outscored Eastern Oregon 33-9 in last year's four meetings. The doubleheader had a special meaning to both teams who wore pink in awareness to breast cancer.
EOU travels to Portland to play Concordia University Friday. The No. 6 Cavaliers swept Eastern earlier this season in La Grande. The College of Idaho plays CU Saturday for its next game.
