Box Score 1 | Box Score 2


LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Southern Oregon University softball team swept Eastern Oregon University on the road Saturday, 2-1 and 9-3. The Raiders avenged the two home losses to EOU earlier this season.

In the first game, the Raiders (20-17, 10-11 Cascade Collegiate Conference) scored the second and third runs of the game, after falling behind 1-0.

Jordyn Kurtz limited EOU to two hits in the complete game performance. Kurtz improved to 9-8 on the season with the win. She allowed two hits, struck out seven Mountaineers, and walked two. After allowing both hits in the second inning, Kurtz held Eastern hitless through the final five innings. Sierra Anderson finished 2-for-3 at the plate.

Sarah Jackson opened the bottom of the second inning with a single to left field. She would later be brought in by Lacey Price single down the right field line.

After leaving two runners stranded through the first three innings, Southern would score in the top of the fourth inning with a two-out home run over the left field fence from Steph Vandenbusch.

In the top of the seventh inning, the Raiders added their second run with a two-out score. Sarah Silbowitz took advantage of a Mountaineer error and crossed home plate for the winning run.

Alex Hillmick took the loss for Eastern, dropping to 6-9 this season. The sophomore tossed 77 pitches, 50 were strikes. She allowed six hits and one earned run through seven innings. Hillmick struck out two Raiders, and walked one.

Eastern committed two errors, while SOU had zero. Southern stranded six base runners and the Mountaineers left three runners on base.

In the second game, the Raiders used a five-run fourth inning to pull away from Eastern Oregon. Karlie Stephens went threw the complete game for Southern, allowing eight hits and three earned runs. She finished with two strikeouts and no walks. Stephens tossed 89 pitches. Kurtz finished the second game with four RBI, going 2-for-3 at the plate. Alyssa Miller was 3-for-4 with an RBI.

EOU opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. Jackson scored on a close play at the plate after a Southern Oregon fielder's choice off of a Price hit.

The following inning, the Raiders got their first run from a Katie Moy sacrifice that drove in Brooke Springer. The next batter, Kurtz, brought in Kara Kelsey with a home run over the left field fence, making the score 3-1.

Julia Willison drove in Anderson in the top of the fourth inning with a double to left-center field. The next batter, Ashley Lowe, hit a sacrifice to center field that scored Melissa Corn. Willison then scored on a Kelsey single to left field. Miller completed the scoring in the inning being brought in by a Kurtz double to right-center field. The Raiders finished the fourth with five runs on six hits, leaving two runners on base.

Eastern would pick up a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Price doubled to left field scoring Ashli Hughes-Hayden and Jackson. Southern answered with one run in the top of the seventh, as Miller hit an RBI single to centerfield, scoring Corn.

The Mountaineers' Kayla Anderson was credited with the setback. She allowed 15 hits in seven innings. Anderson struck out six Raiders and threw two walks.

Eastern Oregon honored Emily Anderson, Suzie Espinoza, and Hughes-Hayden on Senior Day at Peggy Anderson Field Saturday.

Southern travels to Northwest Christian next Saturday for a make-up doubleheader. The Mountaineers (10-22, 6-18) host Walla Walla University in a non-conference doubleheader to end the season Monday. Game 1's first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. Admission is free to the doubleheader, but fans are asked to leave pets at home.