LA GRANDE, Ore. – It's been a long time since the season opener for the Eastern Oregon University softball team. In fact, it almost seems like an entirely different campaign when the Mountaineers went 0-4 vs. Simpson by an average of 6.25 runs.
EOU will have a chance for redemption on Monday at noon when it squares off against the Red Hawks in Redding, Calif., in the Simpson Bracket of the 2016 NAIA Softball National Championship.
SIMPSON TOURNAMENT CENTRAL PAGE
2016 OPENING ROUND SCHEDULE/RESULTS
AT A GLANCE: EOU
Roster | Schedule | Statistics | Athletics Website
Overall Record: 29-20 | CCC: 14-10 | Home: 14-4 | Road: 9-12 | Neutral: 6-5
EOU notched the automatic bid from the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) after advancing to the finals of the conference tournament with a 3-0 triumph over Great Falls, the second auto-qualifier from the league.
The No. 4 seed in the Simpson Bracket, EOU defeated Great Falls in an eight-inning thriller (3-2) to capture the 2016 CCC Tournament Championship. Perhaps the hottest squad in the four-team bracket, the Mountaineers have won seven of their last eight games.
Senior shortstop Haley Hess leads the team in batting average (.410), at-bats (161), runs (50), hits (66), and assists (118). EOU boasts lot of firepower at the dish, including senior first baseman Marisa Gonzalez (10 doubles, 52 hits, 42 RBI) and junior right fielder Cheyenne Barker (56 RBI, 10 home runs), the single-season RBI leader in program history.
A second-team all-conference selection, sophomore righty Hailey Kline has been unstoppable of late, compiling 16 wins on the year and 108 strikeouts. She holds a team-best 2.55 earned run average (ERA) and leads the CCC with five complete-game shutouts.
AT A GLANCE: SIMPSON
Roster | Schedule | Statistics | Athletics Website
Overall Record: 40-4 | Cal-Pac: 18-2 | Home: 27-3 | Road: 13-1 | Neutral: 0-0
Tabbed No. 7 in the latest NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll, Simpson earned the No. 1 seed after winning its 40th game to end the 2016 regular season. The Red Hawks are highly familiar with CCC opponents, going 15-1 (lost to Southern Oregon, 4-1) against them this season.
Simpson ranks sixth in the country with a 1.48 ERA while averaging 5.71 runs of its own. Kristin Beckman is batting .380 with a team-high six homers, while Courtney Thomas has a team-best 39 RBI.
In the circle, the Red Hawks have pair of aces in Paris Hallums (16-1) and Cariye Avey (18-0). Hallums in second in the country in total runs allowed (17) and has compiled 168 strikeouts this season, while Avey has only walked 11 batters en route to totaling 110 Ks.
Simpson enters Monday's matchup riding a 13-game winning streak, and the Red Hawks' four losses have been by a combined eight runs.
AT A GLANCE: DICKINSON STATE (N.D.)
Roster | Schedule | Statistics | Athletics Website
Overall Record: 45-10 | North Star: 19-3 | Home: 10-2 | Road: 15-0 | Neutral: 20-8
The No. 2 seed in the Simpson Bracket, Dickinson State is on the brink of both a regular season and conference title. Out of the North Star Athletic Association, the Blue Hawks are making their fourth-straight trip to the NAIA Softball National Championship.
During the 2015 season, Dickinson State made it to Sioux City, Iowa, before dropping its first two games of the World Series against Oregon Tech and Mobile (Ala.).
Standing five feet tall, McKenzie Kenobbie is batting .473 with 52 hits, 41 runs, and 10 RBI. A senior leader on the squad, Alex Vargas is hitting .475 and ranks top 10 in the country in eight statistical categories, including total bases (160), RBI (73), slugging percentage (.884), homers (15), and hits (86).
In the circle, Abigail Brooks is 9-3 on the year with 51 Ks, while Amanda Flores lads the team with a 2.13 ERA.
AT A GLANCE: OREGON TECH
Roster | Schedule | Statistics | Athletics Website
Overall Record: 27-20 | CCC: 20-8 | Home: 14-2 | Road: 9-11 | Neutral: 4-7
An opponent EOU knows all too well, Oregon Tech snuck in the field after receiving 66 votes in the latest NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll and finishing second in the West Division of the CCC.
The Owls have lost four-straight games entering bracket play but are making their fifth appearance in the NAIA Softball National Championship in the last six seasons.
A sophomore standout, Tara Moates leads the team in batting average (.468), runs (37), hits (66), and is tied for first on the team in homers (9). She ranks 19th in the country in doubles (19) and boasts a .809 slugging percentage. Another reliable competitor at the dish, Ali Graham is swinging .448 and has 60 hits, 12 doubles, nine homers, and a team-high 42 RBI.
While none of the Owl pitchers have eye-grabbing records, Ann-Marie Guischer leads the group of three with a 2.60 ERA and 93 strikeouts.
EOU went 0-2 against Oregon Tech this season, committing four errors and yielding 30 hits in two losses on the road.
LIVE STATS/VIDEO
While live stats are free for all games, live video is available pay-per-view for either $9.95 per game or $24.95 per tournament pass.
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