GAME ONE BOX                      GAME TWO BOX

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Concordia University softball team swept a doubleheader against Eastern Oregon University Saturday, 8-0 and 10-0.

The Cavaliers (12-10, 5-5 Cascade Collegiate Conference) were the preseason favorite to win the conference and began the season at No. 4 in the NAIA. Concordia showed why the lofty preseason expectations were there in the wins over the Mountaineers.

Concordia's Renee Santos struck out 10 batters in the first game. The senior pitched the complete game, limiting the Mountaineers to two hits in five innings. EOU left only three runners on base in the game. Jennifer McDonnell took the loss for Eastern Oregon, yielding five earned runs in 4.2 innings pitched.

The Cavaliers scored their first run in the bottom of the second. Amy Aicher reached on a throwing error and advanced to second on the play before reaching third on a wild pitch and scoring on a single by Kyndell Andrews. Concordia added its second run in the bottom of the third when Sam Genskay walked, stole second and scored on Ali Paz's double to left center. The Cavs' third run came in the fourth when Andrews singled to center, advanced to second on a wild pitch, reached third on an infield groundout and scored on another wild pitch.

Concordia broke it open in the fifth inning, scoring five runs on four hits to seal the victory. Paz opened with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch with one out. Robin Gawlista walked to put two on and Aicher hit a home run over the right field wall to make it 6-0. The Cavaliers scored their seventh run off of a Mountaineer error, and eighth run on an EOU wild pitch.

Andrews finished the game with three hits in three at bats to go with a run scored and another driven in. Five CU players tallied hits in the contest. McDonnell and Ashli Hughes each went 1-for-2 for Eastern.

In the second game, Jordyn Brown threw the one-hit shutout for CU to pick up the win, while Jessy Reynolds and Suzie Espinoza each pitched a pair of innings for the Mountaineers, with Reynolds taking the loss.

Kayla Vickaryous led off the bottom of the first with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Sam Genskay singled to left to bring home the Cavs' first run and after Paz walked, Cameron Way singled up the middle to bring home Genskay and give Concordia the 2-0 lead.

Concordia added three more in the bottom of the second. Vickaryous doubled and Genskay reached on a fielding error to put two on for Paz, who hit her third home run of the weekend to put Concordia up 5-0.

Four runs on six hits put CU up 9-0 in the bottom of the third. Kyndell Andrews singled down the left field line with one out and Brown helped her own cause by knocking a home run over the center field fence to score two runs for the Cavs. Courtney Wooden and Vickaryous followed with back-to-back singles, and Genskay drove Wooden home with a double down the right field line. Vickaryous scored Concordia's ninth run on Paz's sacrifice fly.

Concordia's final run came in the bottom of the fourth. Laura Thorp led off with a single and with one out Brown singled up the middle to put two on. Wooden reached on an error to load the bases and Katie Volgamore walked to force in a run and give CU a 10-0 lead.

The Mountaineers (4-18, 1-9 CCC) travel to Caldwell, Idaho for a doubleheader against their rival, The College of Idaho, for their next game Tuesday at 3 p.m. Mountain Time. Live stats will be available on EOUSports.com.