HERMISTON, Ore. – Eastern Oregon University Softball got conference play started on a positive note Friday afternoon winning 8-1 and 10-1 in five innings over Warner Pacific University. With the two wins, eastern Oregon improves to 5-7 overall and starts Cascade Collegiate Conference play 2-0.
 
Game 1 – Eastern Oregon 8, Warner Pacific 1
How it Happened
• The Mountaineers secured the win with the help of scoring multiple runs in the first and sixth inning, respectively. EOU outhit the Knights (4-6, 0-2 CCC) 10-4 and had a clean sheet on defense with no errors, while WPU had two.
• Helping EOU get the bats going early on was the solid pitching of Ashton Kazmierski. She allowed just two hits in the first innings of work and had a 1-2-3 outing in the first and third inning, respectively.
• After working the top of the order, EOU tacked on three runs in the bottom of the first with the help of two hits and a Knight error. Jordan Henley singled through the right side to plate home the first run in Alaina Wright who led off with a walk.
• Haley Ebner was then walked following the run and Taylor Dow followed her up with a bunt to plate home Henley for the second EOU run. Oliva Zufelt made it a 3-0 lead for the Mounties with an RBI groundout to second base before WPU ended the inning.
• The Knights managed to get two runners on base on a hit by pitch and a walk, but no hits left both stranded as EOU's defense continued its strong play. Madison Parker led off the bottom of the second with a double. WPU managed to get the next two batters out but another RBI base hit from Henley scored Parker to give the Mountaineers a 4-0 lead.
• Eastern worked a 1-2-3 frame in the third but got no runs in on the flip side despite two hits. The knights first hit of the game came in the fourth but nothing came of it. The score remained 4-0 until the top of the fifth when WPU tacked on a run thanks to a solo home run to left center.
• WPU worked a three up, three down frame to close out the fifth, but Kazmierski worked another 1-2-3 frame in the sixth and kept EOU in front by three. The final four runs for the Mounties came in the bottom of the sixth to secure the seven-run win.
• Parker was walked to leadoff the inning. Wright got on from a single to left field before a sacrifice bunt from Madison Stateler advanced both runners. The Knights then intentionally walked Henley to load the bases. Ebner took advantage of the situation in the next at bat and hit a bases clearing double up the middle to plate home the runners and make it 7-1.
• Sadie Bernard came in as a pinch runner for Ebner and was the final run scored. She got to third thanks to a wild pitch and was brought home on an RBI groundout to second base by Chambers. WPU tried to rally in the seventh and got a leadoff hit, but made nothing of it as EOU closed out the series opener.
 
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
• Haley Ebner was a perfect 3-3 to lead EOU. She had three RBI and scored one run.
• Jordan Henley batted 2-3 and scored a pair of runs to go along with two RBI.
• Madison Parker also had a cleaning batting performance going 2-2 with two runs scored.
• Ashton Kazmierski pitched a complete game to improve to 1-4. She fanned five batters in seven innings of work.
 
For the Knights
• Rebekah Roe was 1-4 with her lone hit being a home run to lead WPU. She also had one RBI and scored one run.
• Macy Besuyen and Jamie Carlson both finished 1-3 at the plate.
• Melia Croydon was dealt the loss in a full game of work and now sits at 2-2. In six innings pitched she gave up four walks and did not strike a batter out.
 
Game 2 – Eastern Oregon 10, Warner Pacific 2 (5 Innings)
How it Happened
• The Mountaineers momentum from game one carried into game two as they took down the Knights in five innings on the help of 10 runs. All 10 runs for EOU came in the first three innings, while WPU had its two runs come in the fourth.
• Both teams hit the ball well with EOU having a slight edge at 10-8 and both teams had one error in the contest. Eastern managed to grab the lead from the onset with the help of nine runs in the first two innings, while its 10th and final run was scored in the third.
• Amanda Smith got the starting nod in game two and got things rolling with a 1-2-3 first inning. EOU's bats then tacked on its three runs on three hits. A one-out base hit from Madison Stateler got it started for EOU. Jordan Henley continued to git well form game one and scored Stateler with an RBI single.
• Haley Ebner was walked following Henley's base hit to get two runners on base. Makenzie Chambers plated both home with a double down the left field line and made it a 3-0 lead for the Mounties after one, just like they did in game one.
• EOU's lone error came in the top of the top of the second, but the defense still turned a double play to keep WPU from getting things going on offense. Smith led off the bottom of the second with a single. Two batters later, Alaina Wright was walked to get two on. Stateler's RBI hit to left center got the scoring surge started for the Mounties.
• Leading 4-0, an untimely wild pitch by the Knights allowed Wright to score. Henley, who was at bat on the wild pitch, then hit a homerun to left center field on the 2-1 count to put the Mounties ahead 7-0. The Knights walked three of the next four batters to load the bases. Smith made it 9-0 with a two RBI single to right field before WPU ended the frame.
• WPU looked to get its offense going in the third and loaded the bases on a leadoff walk and back-to-back singles. EOU managed to escape the jam though to keep the Knights scoreless. A leadoff error by WPU in the bottom of the inning got Stateler one and she was plated home two batters later on an RBI base hit from Ebner.
• After three innings, EOU led 10-0 but the Knights were able to avoid the shutout with two runs in the fourth. A leadoff single to right followed by a double and another single scored the two runs and made a 10-2 contest. The Knights looked to avoid being run ruled but were unsuccessful in doing so.
• The Mounties got a pair of hits in the fourth but made nothing of it to take an eight-run lead in the top of the fifth. Mckenna Stallings came in during the top of the fourth to relieve Smith. She ended the game early with a strikeout and forced a pair of line outs to help EOU secure the 2-0 start in conference play.
 
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
• Jordan Henley racked up three RBI while batting 2-3 and scored two runs to lead EOU. She also had a home run in the win.
• Amanda Smith did work on both sides as she hit a perfect 2-2 in the game and had two RBI to go along with a run scored. In the circle she improved to 2-0 after three innings pitched and struck out two batters.
• Makenzie Chambers went 1-2 and had two RBI while scoring one run.
• Madison Stateler hit .500 going 2-4. She scored three runs and had an RBI.
• Haley Ebner was 1-1 with two runs scored and an RBI.
 
For the Knights
• Payton Hergert had the most hits with two in three at bats and scored one run.
• Rebekah Roe and Macy Besuyen both went 1-3 in the game.
• Devine Amesquita was 1-2 with two RBI.
• Jamie Carlson finished 1-2 and scored a run.
• In the circle, Cierra Speck suffered the loss to fall to 2-3. In 1.2 innings of work she gave up five walks and nine runs, all of which were earned.
 
By the Numbers
6 – In two games, Jordan Henley tallied six total RBI, with three coming in each contest.
3 – The Mountaineers gave up just three runs in their two wins over the Knights.
8 – EOU had eight different players tally a hit in 2-0 series opening win over WPU.
2 – for the second straight season, the Mountaineers have started 2-0 in conference play, both of which coming under Head Coach Nicole Christian.
 
Up Next
• The Mountaineers close out their series with the Knights tomorrow (Saturday) with two more games. Game one is set for an 11 a.m. start, while game two is slated for a 1p.m. first pitch. Game one will count as a conference game, while game two will not.

FOLLOW EOU ATHLETICS