LA GRANDE, Ore. – On Senior Day at Peggy Anderson Field, the Eastern Oregon University Softball team was swept by Oregon Tech, 14-2 and 11-2, both in five innings. The Owls hit five home runs in the doubleheader.
Game One (Oregon Tech 14 EOU 2)The Owls broke the game wide open in the top of the first inning. With two runners on, Tara Moates doubled to left field scoring one, putting the Owls ahead 1-0. Moates came around to score on a Sadie Birch single up the middle, extending the lead to, 2-0. The Owls' bats remained hot as they loaded the bases. With two outs, Ashley Stetkus cleared the bases with a grand slam extending the lead to 6-0.
In the bottom of the first inning,
Shelby Baertsch led off the game with a double. She moved to third on a bunt single by
Samantha Scott. After a strikeout,
Marisa Gonzalez drew a walk to load the bases. However, Oregon Tech got out of the jam as
Gracie Flyg lined into a double play to end the inning.
The Owls' bats remained hot in the second inning as Moates led off the inning with a solo home run to center field. Tre Sullivan followed with a double down the left field line. She came around to score when Tasha Silvius hit a home run to right field, extending the Owls lead to 9-0. Oregon tech added five more runs in the frame, including Moates second home run of the inning. After an inning and a half Oregon Tech led 14-0.
After the second inning, the Owls offense went into hibernation as they only collected two hits the remainder of the contest.
The Mountaineers' bats started to come to life in the bottom of the third inning. With a runner on first,
Cassie Wendt put EOU on the scoreboard with a two run home run. The two RBIs gave Wendt 51 on the season, which is a single season record for Eastern Oregon.
In the bottom of the fourth inning,
Lindsey Walchli reached base on an error by the Owls' pitcher. She advanced to second on a single by
Andrea Roeder. With two outs, Baertsch singled through the left side, loading the bases. However, EOU could not get a run across and trailed 14-2 heading to the fifth.
After Oregon Tech went down in order, the Mountaineers looked to answer. With one out, Gonzalez singled to third base. However, that would be the only hit in the inning and the Mountaineers dropped game one, 14-2.
Game Two (Oregon Tech 11 EOU 2)Oregon Tech came out swinging in game two as the Katie Virtue and McKenzie Shrum led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Moates cleared the bases with her third home run of the day, this one a three run home run, to left center.
EOU answered back with a run in the bottom of the inning. Baertsch led off with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Scott. With two outs, Gonzalez singled up the middle, scoring Baertsch, and trimming the Owls lead to 3-1.
The game remained 3-1 until the top of the fourth inning where Oregon Tech collected five hits and used two EOU errors to score five runs in the frame, increasing their lead to 8-1 over EOU.
EOU scored one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Wendt reached on a walk. She advanced to third on a single down the right field line by Gonzalez. On the play, the Owls' right fielder recorded a throwing error which allowed Wendt to score. However, on the play Gonzalez was thrown out at third base.
Oregon Tech tacked on three more runs in the top of the fifth inning. With two outs and two runners on, Sullivan doubled down the left field line, scoring two and putting the Owls ahead, 10-2. Sullivan scored on a double by Silvius, extending the lead to 11-2.
Going to the bottom of the fifth, the Mountaineers needed two runs to keep the game going and the inning started off well. Walchli doubled down the right field line to get the Mountaineers started. After back to back putouts, Baertsch drew a walk to put two runners on, however, the game ended with a fly out and EOU dropped game two, 11-2.
