CALDWELL, Idaho – The Eastern Oregon University softball team dropped both of their games on the third day of the College of Idaho Invitational. EOU lost to MSU-Billings, 11-3, in five innings to open the day before being defeated, 7-4, by Great Falls.
 
MSU-Billings
The Mountaineers struggled in the circle against the Yellow Jackets to open the day as the Mountaineers gave up 11 runs (10 earned) and only held MSU-Billings scoreless for one inning.
 
The Yellow Jackets jumped all over the Mountaineers' starting pitcher, Lily Smith, recording four hits and two runs in the first inning of the contest. Taylor Hoke and Aubrey Conceicao each picked up RBI singles in the bottom of the first.
 
The Mountaineers looked as if they were settling down on the mound as they held the Yellow Jackets to one hit, but no runs, in the second inning. EOU could not get their bats going early in the game and going into the bottom of the third inning, EOU had only two hits.
 
MSU-Billings added to their lead in the bottom of the third inning. With two runners on, Kelsey Delvin singled up the middle scoring two. After the single, EOU made a pitching change and Lindsey Walchli entered the game. The first batter Walchli faced hit a two run home run to right field, extending the Yellow Jackets' lead to 6-0.
 
The Mountaineers broke onto the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning. Marisa Gonzales was hit by a pitch to put a runner on base. Shelby Baertsch hit a two run home run to center field putting the Mountaineers down, 6-2. That would be all EOU would get in the fourth.
 
The Yellow Jackets added one run in the bottom of the fourth inning extending their lead to 7-2.  
 
In the top of the fifth inning and one out, Corinna Maestas walked to put a runner on base. After an EOU strikeout, Maestas stole second base. Samantha Scott followed with a walk to put two runners on for EOU. Cassie Wendt singled to right field to score one for EOU. EOU could not put another runner across home plate and going to the fifth EOU trailed, 7-3.
 
MSU-Billings offense came to life in the bottom of the fifth inning as they scored four runs on three hits. The four runs gave the Yellow Jackets 11 runs for the game, to run-rule EOU, 11-3, in five innings giving the win to MSU-Billings.
 
Great Falls
The Mountaineers' offense was off to a fast start against the Argos of Great Falls. After a one, two, three top of the first inning, the Mountaineers came to bat. With one out, Scott and Wendt drew back to back walks. Gonzalez followed with a single through the left side, which scored one. Baertsch followed with a single to left, scoring the second run of the inning for the Mountaineers. After one inning of play, EOU led Great Falls, 2-0.
 
After a scoreless second inning, the Argos bats came to life in the third. Great Falls recorded three hits and took advantage of two Mountaineer errors in the inning to score three runs. Great Falls recorded three RBI singles in the inning, taking a 3-2 lead.
 
Great Falls added to their lead in the top of the fourth inning. With a runner on third base, Chloe Cross singled to the shortstop, scoring one. Mindy Larson followed with a triple that scored Cross and put the Argos ahead, 5-2.
 
The Argos made it 7-2 in the top of the sixth inning as they hit a sacrifice fly and collected an RBI single to extend their lead.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Mountaineers loaded the bases on a single, hit batter and a walk to start the inning. EOU scored one on a Gracie Flyg fielder's choice ground out. With runners on the corners, CeCe Pratt hit a sacrifice fly to right field scoring the second run of the inning for EOU and putting EOU down, 7-4, heading to the seventh inning.
 
The Argos went down in order in the top of the seventh and Eastern Oregon had the bottom of the inning to battle back. Taylor Smith singled to lead off the inning and force an Argos pitching change. Haley Hess followed with a walk to put two runners on base. However, the Mountaineers could not get anything across the plate and would fall, 7-4, to Great Falls.

The Mountaineers return to action on Wednesday, March 4 when they host Walla Walla University. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.