Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

NAMPA, Idaho – The Eastern Oregon University softball team opened up the 2014 season with a double header split against Northwest Nazarene University on Friday. The Mountaineers took game one, 3-2 in eight innings before falling in game two, 10-3.

In the top of the second inning, the Mountaineers struck first in game one against the Crusaders. After the first four Mountaineers were retired in order, Lindsey Walchli collected the first hit and run of the season for EOU has she hit a home run to left field to put EOU ahead, 1-0.

Northwest Nazarene answered right back in the bottom half of the inning. A walk to Ali Schuaer gave the Crusaders a runner on base. Kira Varady followed with a double to put two runners on base with one out. Alyssa Nitschelm loaded the bases after Walchli hit her with a pitch. With the bases loaded and one out, Whitney Carlton hit into a fielder's choice and the runner from third was thrown out at the plate. Kendra Day tied the game with two outs in the bottom of the second as she drew a bases loaded walk. After two innings the game was tied at 1-1.

EOU broke the scoreless tie and took the lead in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs, Walchli drew a walk and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. With Walchli on second base, Stephanie Maestretti doubled down the right field line to score Walchli and put the Mountaineers back on top, 2-1.

Northwest battle back in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Nitschelm singled to left field to get the Crusaders offense going. A single by Kendra Day advanced Nitschelm to second base. Nitschelm scored on Brianna Kinghorn's RBI single to right field to tie the game at 2-2. Northwest Nazarene stranded the rest of the runners on base and the game went tied at 2-2 into the top of the seventh.

Both teams went down in order in the seventh inning to force extra innings. EOU started a rally in the top of the eighth inning, as Gracie Flyg reached back on an error. Mariebeth Watanabe advanced her to second on a ground out. JoElla Smith singled to center and Flyg tried to score but was thrown out at the plate to keep the game tied at 2-2. With two outs, Cassie Wendt singled home Smith to put EOU on top 3-2, to go to the bottom of the eighth inning.

It looked as if the Crusaders had a rally started in the bottom of the eighth inning as pinch hitter, Shelby Johnson started the inning off with a single to right field. However, the inning came to a quick hault as Nitschelm was called out for batters interference and Whitney Carlton flew out to right field. The Mountaineers recorded the third out when Wendt threw out Lindsie Lumley trying to steal second base.
EOU took game one, 3-2, in eight innings. Walchli picked up the win for the Mountaineers as she pitched all eight innings. She recorded six strikeouts in the game.

The Mountaineers jumped on top of the Crusaders early in game two. With the bases loaded Katie Martell singled threw the left side of the infield, which scored two runs. Maestretti added another run to the board for EOU as she hit a sacrifice fly to score to score Martell from 3rd. After the first inning EOU held a 3-0 lead.

Northwest Nazarene answered back in the bottom of the second inning when the Crusaders put up four runs on EOU. Day recorded the big hit for Northwest Nazarene as she singled to left field that scored two runs. After the second inning was complete, EOU trailed 4-3.
After the Mountaineers went down in order in the third inning, Northwest Nazarene added to its lead in the bottom of the third, as Ali Schauer started the inning off with a home run. Northwest Nazarene added another run to the board in the third as Nitschelm recorded an RBI ground out to take a 6-3 lead after three innings.

Eastern Oregon's struggled to get on base in the fourth and fifth innings as the Mountaineers went down in order those two innings. EOU looked as if they would get a rally going in the top of the sixth inning but the rally fell short.

Northwest Nazarene added four more run in the bottom of the sixth inning to take an 10-3 lead going into the top of the seventh. In the seventh inning the Mountaineers got one person on base but could not get them around to score and fell in game two, 10-3.

Brittnee Carmen-Rice led the Mountaineers at the plate in game two, as she went 3-3. Martell recorded 2 RBIs in game two.

The Mountaineers return to action tomorrow when they take on British Columbia at Noon and Great Falls at 2 p.m. to conclude its games in the College of Idaho Classic.