KIRKLAND, Wash. – Eastern Oregon University Softball split its weekend road series in Washington State as the Mountaineers went 2-2 against Northwest University. The Eagles were able to win the conference portion of the series, 2-1, while EOU managed to post shutouts in both of its wins. With the 2-2 split, EOU is now 12-26 overall and 7-14 in CCC play.
 
Day 1 – EOU 6, NU 0 (Game 1) | NU 7, EOU 2 (Game 2)
How it Happened
• The Mountaineers posted 10 hits in the series opening win and held the Eagles (6-24, 5-17 CCC) to just four while both teams had one error in the contest.
• Helping EOU secure the game one win was four runs scored in the first inning. Madison Stateler was the first run across as she drew a leadoff walk before getting home from third on a wild pitch. Jacie Howton then hit a two-run homer to left field on the first pitch to make it 3-0.
• The fourth run of the opening frame came when Amanda Smith hit an RBI single to left to plate home Jordan Henley. Helping Henley get on base was a base hit to center before she scored to make it a 4-0 game.
• The score remained 4-0 until the top of the third. Smith got the start in the circle and worked a 1-2-3 frame in the bottom of the first and surrendered just one hit in the second. It became a 5-0 EOU lead when Haley Ebner hit a sacrifice fly to center which plated home Henley for her second run.
• Smith worked a 1-2-3 outing in two of the next three innings and allowed just one hit in that span. The Mountaineers' lead grew to 6-0 and stayed there in the top of the sixth. Taylor Dow doubled to left center for the RBI and brought in Alaina Wright for the final run of the game.
• Game two saw Northwest find a rhythm on offense as the team tallied nine hits to score seven runs. EOU managed just two runs on five hits and committed one error in the day one split.
• The first run for EOU came in the opening frame. Stateler led off with a walk before an RBI groundout by Howton allowed her to cross home plate. The Mountaineers were unable to score again until the top of the sixth.
• The Eagles tacked on two runs in the second and third inning to go ahead 4-1 after not scoring a run in the first inning. The Eagles held the 4-1 lead until the sixth inning. EOU managed to tack on a run in the sixth, but three from NU helped them secure the five-run win.
• Kayla Berg hit a one-out triple to right field to get on base and set up the second run for EOU. An RBI fielder's choice from Shelby Starr scored Berg for the run before the Eagles closed out the contest.
 
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
• Jordan Henley led the way in game one hitting 3-3 with two runs scored. She was 1-4 in game two.
• Jacie Howton hit a home run in game one and was 1-4 with two RBI to go along with a run scored.
• Kayla Berg was 2-4 at the plate in the series opener.
• Amanda Smith pitched a complete game in the opener to pick up the win. She struck out five batters.
• Haley Ebner led the bats in game two going 2-2.
 
Day 2 – NU 2, EOU 1 (Game 3) | EOU 13, NU 0 (Game 4 – 5 Innings)
How it Happened
• Game No. 3 of the series was a defensive battle as the two teams combined for just three runs in the contest. The Eagles won the hit battle at 8-5 and scored both runs in the first inning to take the CCC portion of the series.
• A trio of hits in the first inning combined with the lone error of the game from EOU allowed the Eagles to score the two runs. The score remained 2-0 until late in the game when EOU scored its lone run in the sixth. Prior to that, both teams had moments to score but defense held up on both sides to keep the score at 2-0 for four-straight innings.
• Jordan Henley scored the lone run of the contest for EOU as she led off the inning with a base hit to center field. A groundout got her to second base before Olivia Zufelt hit an RBI single to center field to score Henley and bring the game to its final of 2-1.
• The series finale was all Eastern as the team scored 13 runs and surrendered just one hit to the Eagles to end the game in five innings. EOU tallied 16 hits in the win and had a no-hitter going until the Eagles got a hit in the fourth. Ashton Kazmierski was dealing as she only allowed one hit in five innings of work.
• Zufelt started the scoring barrage as a two-out rally to start the first inning helped plated five runs for the Mountaineers She got on with a two-out double and was brought home on an RBI single by Glori Cheevers to make it a 1-0 game to start.
• Following the Cheevers base hit, Henley got on with a single to center field. Jacie Howton then delivered her second homer of the weekend in the next at bat as she hit a three-run shot to left field on the first pitch. The home run made it a 4-0 lead for EOU.
• Kayla Berg was the final run scored of the first inning when Makenzie Chambers plated her home on an RBI base hit to right. The Mountaineers lead remained at five runs through the second inning before two runs scored in the third opened the score to 7-0.
• Cheever led off the third with a base hit to the shortstop before an RBI double to left by Howton scored her to make it a 6-0 lead for the Mountaineers. Chambers and Henley teamed up yet again for a run to give EOU the seven-run advantage. A sacrifice fly from Chambers scored Henley who got on with a base hit.
• The 7-0 lead did not last long as the Mountaineers exploded with five more runs in the top of the fourth inning to go ahead 13-0. Four consecutive base hits to start the fourth scored the first two of the five runs for EOU. Henley singled to center to score both Shelby Starr and Zufelt.
• Leading 9-0, the Mountaineers were able to get two runners on to load the bases following the two RBI hit from Henley. Chambers then hit a single to right that plated home Cheevers and Henley to extend the lead to 11-0. An error on the next play by the Eagles' catcher allowed Kayla Berg to score run No. 5 of the inning and make it a 12-0 contest.
• The final run of the shortened game came in the top of the fifth. Hailey Crudo came in as a pinch hitter and was able to score following a walk by the Eagles. The run scored from Crudo brought the game to 13-0 before the Mountaineers worked a 1-2-3 frame to end the fifth.
 
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
• Madison Stateler tallied two hits in three at bats in game three. She went 1-4 in game four.
• In game three, Jordan Henley was 1-3 with a run scored. In the finale, she was 3-3 at the plate with three runs scored and two RBI.
• Olivia Zufelt had the lone RBI in game three and hit 1-2. In game four, she finished 2-3 with two runs scored.
• Glori Cheevers was a perfect 3-3 in the final and had one RBI to go along with three runs scored.
• Both Jacie Howton and Makenzie Chambers had two hits in game four and totaled 4 RBI each.
• Ashton Kazmierski went the full game in the finale and struck out five batters. In game three she had two strikeouts.
• Amanda Smith had two strikeouts in game three.
 
By the Numbers
0 – The Mountaineers did not allow a single run by the Eagles in both wins this weekend.
1 – The lone hit surrendered by EOU in the finale is the lowest in a game this season.
5 – EOU pitchers Amanda Smith and Ashton Kazmierski tallied five strikeouts in their respective wins this weekend.
9 – The Mountaineers pitching staff has yet to surrender a home run in each of their last nine games.
2 – Jacie Howton hit two home runs this weekend with one coming in each win.
6 – With the 11 RBI in game four, EOU has now totaled double-digit RBI in six games this season.
 
Up Next
• EOU will be home this upcoming weekend for the final time in 2021. The Mountaineers will host University of Providence April 23 and 24. It will also be senior weekend for Eastern Oregon with the senior class being honored on Saturday, April 24.

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