LA GRANDE, Ore. – Eastern Oregon Softball played host to the No. 1 team in the NAIA this weekend in the Southern Oregon University Raiders at Peggy Anderson Field. The Mountaineers battled the whole weekend but ultimately fell in all four games to the Raiders. The four losses drops EOU's overall record to 10-24 and 6-12 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play.
Day 1 – SOU 7, EOU 0 (Game 1) | SOU 6, EOU 4 (Game 2)
How it Happened
• Game one saw the Raiders (34-2, 17-1 CCC) take down the Mountaineers in shutout fashion as they scored a trio of runs in the second and third inning, respectively en route to the 7-0 win. EOU tallied four hits in the contest but surrendered 11 to SOU.
• The Raiders scored the first of their three runs in the second with the help of a Mountaineers error before a two RBI single to center field brought in the next two runs. All three runs went down as unearned but gave SOU a 3-0 edge entering the third inning.
• The lead grew to 6-0 for the Raiders in the top of the third after they worked a 1-2-3 frame to close out the second. Four hits from SOU along with the help of an EOU error allowed the visitors to tack on one three more runs and maintain the lead.
• The Mountaineers threatened in the bottom of the fifth to avoid the shutout as an infield error allowed a runner to get on. EOU managed to load the bases with two outs but a strikeout from SOU closed out the frame and left the bases loaded.
• The Raiders final run came in the top of the seventh as an RBI base hit to left with two outs pushed the score to its final of 7-0.
• Game two of the series was the closest as the Mountaineers fell 6-4 in the contest. The Raiders once again outhit EOU at 9-4 but committed three errors. EOU had a clean game with no errors in the contest.
• Southern grabbed the game's first in the top of the first with an RBI single to center field to make it a 1-0 game. The Mountaineers responded in the bottom half of the frame with a run scored to tie the contest at 1-all.
Madison Stateler led off with a single to right before an error, hit by pitch, and a passed ball allowed her to advance and eventually score.
• Southern retook the lead in the second going up 2-1. A leadoff walk got a runner on before a single to left field brought home the run to give the Raiders a one-run advantage. The score remained 2-1 until SOU scored twice in the fourth to go up three runs.
• A leadoff hit by pitch got a runner on and it was once again a single to left that made it a 3-1 game. The next at bat for SOU was another base hit, this time to center field, to drive in the fourth run and had the Raiders in front by three, 4-1.
• EOUT cut its deficit to two runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Haley Ebner hit an RBI single to center field to score
Sadie Bernard. The score remained 3-2 until the Raiders tacked on two runs in the sixth to go ahead by four.
• An RBI single to right field brought home the first run to make it a 5-2 game. The lead grew to 6-2 in the next at bat with an RBI base hit to center before EOU closed out the top half of the inning.
• Eastern looked to rally in the seventh inning and managed to get within two runs before the Raiders thwarted the comeback effort.
Madison Stateler got on base with two outs thanks to an SOU error. Two batters later
Taylor Dow delivered a two-run homer to left field to make a 6-4 game before the Raiders got the third and final out.
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
•
Kayla Berg led the way in hits in game one with two in three at bats.
•
Haley Ebner and
Rhyanne Oates each had a hit in the game one loss.
•
Amanda Smith pitched a complete game in the series opener and fanned two batters.
•
Taylor Dow had two RBI game two and hit a home run while going 1-4 at the plate.
•
Madison Stateler scored two runs and hit 1-4 in game two.
•
Haley Ebner had one RBI in game two and was 1-3 in the contest at the plate.
•
Kayla Berg pitched 3.1 innings in the second game and struck out two batters.
For the Raiders
• Rylin Austin posted three hits in four at bats in the opener and had two RBI in the win.
• Tayler Walker was 2-3 with a run scored and an RBI in game one.
• Avery Morehead-Hutsell had two RBI while batting 1-2 in the game one win.
• Gabby Sandoval pitched a complete game in the series opening win and had six strikeouts.
• Olivia Mackey led the bats in game two going 2-3 with two RBI and a run scored.
• Avery Morehead-Hutsell also had two RBI in game two and was a perfect 2-2 in her bats.
• Lauren Quirke pitched all seven innings in the win and had seven strikeouts.
Day 2 – SOU 18, EOU 1 (Game 3; 5 innings) | SOU 10, EOU 3 (Game 4)
How it Happened
• Game three of the series completely belonged to the Raiders who ended the contest in five innings with a 17-run victory. The Raiders totaled 16 hits to score 18 runs and had just one error. EOU managed just one hit and had a run score but posted five errors in the loss.
• SOU opened the game scoring four runs in the first inning. Three hits paired with an EOU error gave the Raiders a 4-0 edge. Following a 1-2-3 frame to end the first, SOU tacked on three more runs to go ahead 7-0.
• The lead grew to 7-0 in the second as the Raiders posted three more hits and once again had help on an EOU error. The Raiders worked quickly on defense working another 1-2-3 outing to take a 7-0 lead into the third. SOU managed just one run in the third to make it an 8-0 game.
• A leadoff hit got a runner on before a base hit and an error advanced her to third. A sacrifice flyout to left field scored the run before Eastern ended the top half of the inning. SOU then went three up, three down to take an 8-0 lead into the fourth.
• Three runs in the fourth pushed the score to 11-0 for SOU. A trio of base hits allowed the runs scores along with the help of a pair of walks and a hit by pitch. EOU's lone run came in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single from
Jacie Howton. She delivered a base hit to left to score
Taylor Dow.
• The final seven runs for the Raiders came in the seventh as four hits paired with two EOU errors brought the game to its final of 18-1. The first two runs came on a two RBI single to left to make it 13-1. A sacrifice fly two batters later made it 14-1. Three singles in the next four at bats brought home the final four runs to end the game in five at 18-1.
• In the series finale, the Raiders completed the sweep with a 10-3 win as they tallied 12 hits and limited the Mountaineers to just five.
• A walk, double, and single in the first three of the four at bats allowed the Raiders to jump ahead 2-0 in the top of the first. The lead grew to 4-0 in the second as a one-out triple followed by a single tacked on the third run. Run No. 4 came on the merit of a double to left to score a run and give SOU the four-run lead.
• All three of EOU's runs came in the bottom of the second.
Jordan Henley brought home the first run with an RBI single to center to score
Shelby Starr. Eastern then loaded the bases before a walk from SOU scored Henley. A second straight walk scored run No. 3 as
Alaina Wright scored the run.
• Southern responded in the third with another five runs to go ahead 9-3. Four hits along with one error by EOU helped the Raiders go up six. A double to left scored the first run followed by a single to make it 6-3. The final two runs came on a double and a single along with an error to make it a 9-3 lead for the Raiders.
• The score remained 9-3 until the top of the sixth when the Raiders scored their final run to win by a final of 10-3. A two-out walk got a runner on before a double to center tacked on the final run to give the Raiders the seven-run win.
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
•
Jacie Howton had the lone hit in game three of the series going 1-2 and had one RBI.
•
Taylor Dow scored the lone for EOU in the game three loss. In game four, she had two hits in four at bats.
•
Jordan Henley was 1-3 in game four and had one RBI go along with a run scored.
•
Madison Parker and
Jacie Howton both had an RBI in game four as both were walked.
•
Abby Giles had a pair of strikeouts in a relief effort for the Mountaineers in game four.
For the Raiders
• Avery Morehead-Hutsell was a perfect 2-2 and had four RBI to go along with a run scored.
• Rylan Austin tallied three RBI as she went 2-3 and scored one run.
• Cailyn Leone was 1-1 as a pinch hitter and totaled two RBI to go along with a run scored.
• Allie Stines and Lauren Quirke each scored two runs in the game three win.
• Gabby Sandovall picked up the win as she pitched a complete game. She had six strikeouts.
• Hannah Shimek went 2-4 in the finale with two RBI.
• Tayler Walker was 2-3 in game four with two RBI and scored a run.
• Riley Donovan finished 1-2 at the plate with a pair of runs scored and two RBI.
• Allie Stines finished with three runs scored in the finale and one RBI while batting 1-4.
• Hannah Lilly picked up the win and tallied two strikeouts in 1.2 innings pitched.
• Rylan Austin pitched the final 5.1 innings and had three strikeouts.
By the Numbers
7 – EOU has now dropped each of its last seven games.
2 – This is just the second series this season where the Mountaineers have been swept.
0 – Eastern was unable to record a single stolen base in its series against the Raiders.
Up Next
• Eastern will remain on the road as the team will head to Washington to face the Northwest University Eagles next weekend. The Mountaineers series at Northwest is set for April 16-17.
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