REDDING, Calif. – Despite taking early leads in both contests, the Eastern Oregon University softball team ultimately suffered a pair of losses to Simpson on the Mountaineers' opening day of the 2016 campaign. 

GAME ONE – SIMPSON 5, EOU 1
In EOU's season opener, Simpson racked up three runs in the third inning and compelled EOU to just one hit in the final four innings to claim game one, 5-1.

Junior designated player Lauren Burchak hit 2-for-3 and logged one run, while junior left fielder Taylor Turner, junior right fielder Cheyenne Barker, and senior center fielder Shelby Baertsch tallied one hit apiece.

In her first performance in a Mountaineer uniform, junior hurler Haylie VanLaethem struck out two batters and yielded eight hits in the losing effort.

EOU mustered two hits and one run in the top of the second to snag an early 1-0 advantage. Burchak belted a leadoff single, and then Baertsch doubled to deep right-center field to put two runners on. Moments later, sophomore second baseman Courtney Chase popped a sacrifice fly to drive home Burchak.

Simpson responded in the bottom half of the third with one hit and a trio of runs to take control, and the Red Hawks tacked on insurance runs in the fifth and sixth innings to seal the victory.

GAME TWO – SIMPSON 5, EOU 4
In game two, EOU couldn't hang on to a four-run lead and fell victim to a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh, ultimately resulting in a 5-4 defeat.

The Mountaineers saw their first homers of the season from senior first baseman Marisa Gonzalez and Barker. Gonzalez went 2-for-3 in game two with one RBI, while Barker mustered two hits and plated three runs.

In the circle, sophomore pitcher Hailey Kline tossed three strikeouts and forced four flyouts in the losing effort.

On a 3-1 count, Barker belted a three-run homer over the left-field fence to put EOU on top, and then Gonzalez followed with a solo bomb to center field to extend the Navy and Gold's advantage to four.

Simpson fired back with a quartet of runs in the first and second innings to knot the affair at four apiece. Meanwhile EOU struggled to get anything going on the offensive end, as it left one runner stranded in each of the middle innings.

After the Mountaineers went hitless in the top of the seventh, Kaylana Mah smacked an infield single to plate Rachel Last and end the contest.

UP NEXT
EOU returns to the field tomorrow against Simpson for a twinbill at 11 a.m.