GAME 1 BOX          GAME 2 BOX

LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University softball team split a doubleheader with University of Great Falls Sunday, 1-8 and 9-5.

The Lady Argos (3-3) were powered by nine hits in the Game 1. Neither team scored a run in the first inning, but Great Falls brought in a pair of runners in the top of the second. A Lindsay Cline double down the left field line scored Anna Owen for the first run of the game. Cline would later cross home plate after a wild pitch.

Eastern cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third inning after Mariebeth Watanabe scored on a Wailana Buchanan single snuck through the left side. UGF answered with a breakout inning in the top of the fourth. Amanda Morris drove in four runs with a grand slam over the left field wall. Great Falls added runs in the fifth and seventh innings. The Argonauts allowed only one EOU hit the rest of the game.

Alyse Sifuentes recorded her second victory over the Mountaineers. The sophomore threw a complete game, allowing four hits and one earned run. She walked three Eastern Oregon batters and struck out eight. Jennifer McDonnell threw seven innings for EOU, walking eight batters and finishing with six strikeouts.

Each team committed an error in the first game. The Argos left 11 runners on base, and Eastern left eight on. Brittanie Thibodeaux, Stacy Gray, and Cline all doubled for UGF. McKenzie Desin doubled for EOU.

The Mountaineers' Suzie Espinoza threw a complete game in the nightcap. The junior allowed 11 hits and four earned runs, but helped Eastern (1-8) to its first win of the season. Espinoza walked a pair of UGF batters, and struck out three.

Watanabe started the scoring in the bottom of the first when a Buchanan single up the middle drove her in. The Lady Argos responded with three runs in the top of the second. Nicole Banach doubled to left-center field and brought in Cline. A Micaela Kurth bunt then drove in Banach, and Kurth would later score.

In the bottom half of the inning, Emily Anderson singled through the left side, bringing in Desin. The Mountaineers would leave the bases loaded to end the inning. Once again, UGF answered. Owen and Morris each scored in the top of the third on a wild pitch and a passed ball.

Eastern Oregon took the lead in the bottom of the fourth with five runs, highlighted by a Sarah Jackson triple and a McDonnell home run. Anderson and Watanabe each rounded the bases off of the Jackson triple to deep right field. Ashli Hughes then drove in Jackson with a single. McDonnell then brought in Buchanan after her home run over the center field wall.

The Mountaineers continued their scoring outburst the following inning. An Anderson double to right-center field allowed Desin to cross home plate, and then Hughes would later bring in Anderson with a single.

Eastern Oregon finished with 13 hits and left eight runners on base. The Argonauts left seven on. Each team committed two errors. The victory was the first collegiate win for new EOU head coach Aaron Jackson.

The Mountaineers host Treasure Valley Community College in a pair of non-counting contests next Saturday before traveling to Walla Walla University for their next game.