HAPPY VALLEY, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University softball team split a pair of games on the third day of the Northwest Cup.  The Mountaineers defeated Carroll College, 8-3, in their first game of the day and dropped the night cap, 5-4, in nine innings to the University of Great Falls.
 
Carroll
Eastern Oregon got off to a fast start against the Fighting Saints. After a quick three up, three down inning for Carroll, EOU came to the plate. Eastern Oregon wasted little time as Haley Hess walked to lead off for EOU. Samantha Scott sacrificed her to second base on a bunt. Cassie Wendt drove Hess home with a single through the left side putting EOU ahead, 1-0. That would be all EOU would get in the first inning.
 
In the bottom of the second inning, the Mountaineers looked to have a two out rally going. With Gracie Flyg on first, Corinna Maestats singled down the left field line to put two runners on base. Hess drew a walk, which loaded the bases, however, EOU could not get a run across as Scott grounded out to end the inning.
 
The Fighting Saints came back to tie the game in the top of the third inning. After the first two hitters were retried, the next three hitters collected singles. On the third single, Carroll scored a run tying the game at 1-1.
 
An inning later, Carroll took the lead over the Mountaineers. Justine Taylor hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score a run putting the Fighting Saints ahead 2-1. The next batter, reached on an EOU error and Carroll scored another run taking a 3-1 lead after three and a half innings of play.
 
EOU cut the lead in half on a home run by Marisa Gonzales. She took a 1-1 pitch out to right center putting the Mountaineers down one, 3-2.
 
The Mountaineers broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth inning. With two outs, the Mountaineers drew six straight walks. The last two walks scored two runs for EOU putting them ahead, 4-3. Eastern Oregon was not done as Gonzalez was hit by a pitch scoring another run for the Mountaineers. Shelby Baertsch collected a single, scoring another run for EOU putting them ahead, 6-3. Glyg doubled to left field driving home two runners and extending the lead to 8-3.
 
Carroll collected two hits in the top of the seventh inning but a ground out by Maddie Jones gave EOU an 8-3 victory.
 
Great Falls
After a scoreless first inning, the Argos broke the scoreless tie in the top of the second inning. Great Falls scored three runs on three hits to hold a 3-0 lead after an inning and a half.
 
The Mountaineers struggled to get anything going at the plate, as they recorded one hit through the first three innings of the game. After a one, two, three, top of the fourth inning, the Mountaineers' bats came to life in the bottom of the inning.
 
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Mountaineer had two runners on when Flyg came up and doubled to left center scoring one run, trimming the lead down to 3-1. Gonzalez drove in the second run of the inning for EOU on a single. After four innings EOU trailed, 3-2.
 
After the three run second inning for Great Falls, the Argos' bats went quiet. The Mountaineers tied the game at 3-3 after a home run by Wendt in the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
Eastern Oregon and Great Falls could not get anyone else across to score and went into extra innings tied at 3-3. In the top of the eighth inning, the Argos broke the tie with one run in the inning. Going into the bottom of the inning, EOU found themselves down one.
 
The Mountaineers battled back tying the game at 4-4 in the eighth. Baertsch singled to the shortstop and Wendt advanced to third base and scored after a throwing error by the Argos shortstop. After eight innings of play, EOU and Great Falls were tied at 4-4.
 
In the top of the ninth inning, Great Falls had runners on the corners and Mindy Larson singled to third base. On the play, the Argos scored a run taking a 5-4 lead. Great Falls could not get anything else across the plate.
 
The Mountaineers were looking to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth inning. With Maestas on second base, Maryssa Santi bunted her over to third base. Andrea Roeder came up next and reached on a fielder's choice but Maestas was thrown out at third base. The next EOU hitter struck out and the Mountaineers dropped the game, 5-4, to Great Falls in nine innings.
 
EOU returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 25 when they travel to College Place, Wash. to face Walla Walla University. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.