LA GRANDE, Ore. – Mountaineers Softball hits the road again this weekend for a single day series against another NCAA Division III opponent.

OPPONENT
Lewis & Clark College (1-1)

WHERE
Huston Sports complex

WHEN
Saturday, Feb. 19 - 12 & 2 p.m.

First Pitch
• The Mountaineers opened the 2022 campaign last week winning its first series, 2-1, over Willamette.
• Eastern continues its road tour to start the season with 17 games away from home.
• EOU's series this weekend will be the team's final one against an NCAA opponent.
• Following the road trip to Portland, the Mounties will be in California next weekend for eight games.

How to Watch/Follow
• Livestream and live stats for this weekend's series can be accessed on the EOU Softball schedule page and by clicking the respective link above
• All home games this year will be webcast on the Mountie Sports Network at www.EOUSports.com/watch. All EOU home games will be Pay-Per-View and can be purchased for $7.95 per game or 11.95 for a day pass of doubleheaders. Fans can also purchase an Eastern Oregon All-Access pass to watch all 2021-22 EOU home sporting events for $100.
• Livestreams for all home games will begin 15 minutes prior to first pitch.
• Live stats coverage for EOU Softball games this season can be accessed at www.eousports.com/livestats.

Story Lines
• The Mounties season opening win over the Bearcats was the first for head coach Nicole Christian.
• Eastern is on the road for its first 17 games of the 2022 season.
• EOU is 5-0 all-time against Lewis & Clark College. 
• Saturday's games will be the final ones against NCAA opponents for the Mounties.

Quick Hits
Last Time Out
• The Mounties got the 2022 season started with a 2-1 series win over NCAA D3 foe Willamette.
• Eastern won the first two games by scores of 8-3 and 3-2 (8 innings), before the Bearcats won game three 3-2.
• In game one, Amanda Smith pitched a complete game and had six strikeouts. Grace Gaither was 3-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.
• Game two saw reliever Abby Giles get the win. Giles and Kayla Berg went four complete and had three strikeouts, respectively. Taylor Dow hit 3-4 with one RBI and a run scored.
• WU won game three and had four strikeouts in the circle. Mckenna Stalling pitched a complete game and had six strikeouts. 

Series History vs. Lewis & Clark
• EOU and Lewis & Clark last met in the 2016 campaign playing a single-day doubleheader. 
• Eastern won both games in five innings with the first being a run-rule, 11-3, while rain ended game two at 5-0.
• All-time, EOU is 5-0 against the Pioneers and is 1-0 against them when playing in Portland. The two squads last played in Portland back in 2010.

Travelin' Mounties
• EOU begins the season with its first 17 games on the road before playing at home.
• For the 2022 season, Eastern will play 35 games away from home and just 18 at home.
• Early on to start the year, the Mounties are 2-1 after taking the season opener at Willamette.

Comin' Out Swingin'
• Four players are batting over .300 to start the season in Kayla Berg (.500), Taylor Dow (.455), Grace Gaither (.444), and Karsyn Zaragoza (.333).
• Gaither already has three doubles and is tied for the team lead in RBI with two.
• Kayla Berg has three hits to start the year, with two being doubles. She is slugging .833 to start.

Swing and a Miss!
• Through three games, the Mounties have fanned 18 batters.
• Eastern has a 1.33 team ERA to start the year and is holding batters to a .147 average.
• Early on both Amanda Smith and Mckenna Stallings have a team best six strikeouts, respectively.

Scouting the Pioneers
• Lewis & Clark is off to a 1-1 start on the year after splitting their season opener against Warner Pacific.
• Through two games, the Pioneers are batting .281 and have an on base percentage of .408. They have scored 12 runs, hit one homer, and tallied 10 RBIs.
• Samantha Gildersleeve has been the top hitter to start with a .500 average. She has four hits, five RBIs and has hit the lone home run for the team.
• Mario Alvarez has the top batting average at .800 on four hits and is second in RBI with three.
• Cassidy Crusberg leads the way in strikeouts with two. Seh has pitched seven complete frames.
• Alyssa Abe is 1-1 on the year in the circle in two games pitched. She has gone 3.1 innings, but has yet to record a strikeout. 
• On the field, Olivia Brackin has turned three double plays and has 17 putouts.

Up Next
• EOU will play its next eight games over a four-day span next week when they are in California Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 24-27. Eastern will face four different schools, playing each opponent twice.
• EOU is at Menlo College Feb. 24 for a doubleheader at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. The following day, Feb. 25, the team takes on William Jessup at 12 p.m. followed by Hope International at 4 p.m.
• Day three, Feb. 26, for Eastern will have them face Hope International at 10 a.m., followed by William Jessup at 12 p.m. The final day,Feb. 27, EOU takes on Marymount California in a doubleheader at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

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