LA GRANDE, Ore. – Mountaineers Softball continues on with conference play as they get set to host their neighbors from the north in a neutral site match-up. Eastern Oregon will head to Pendleton this weekend as the field conditions in La Grande are not playable.

OPPONENT
British Columbia Thunderbirds (5-5, 4-2 CCC)

WHERE
Pendleton, Ore. - Blue Mountain CC Softball Field

WHEN
Saturday-Sunday, March 12-13
Saturday. March 12 - 1 & 3 p.m.
Sunday, March 13 - 10 a.m. & 12 p.m.

First Pitch
• The Mountaineers are off to one of their best starts in recent memory as they are 12-5 overall and 3-0 to start in league play.
• Eastern played its first 17 games on the road and was supposed to be at home this weekend, but will trek 45 minutes down the road to Pendleton.
• EOU is one of three teams that are undefeated in CCC play to start the 2022 season.
• Following the neutral site home series, the Mounties will hit the road to Ashland to battle the sixth-ranked Southern Oregon Raiders.

How to Watch/Follow
• Live video coverage for this weekend's series will be pushed out through the Mountaineer Athletics Facebook page. Fans can access the free livestream by going to www.Facebook.com/EOUAthletics. 
• Live stats coverage for this weekend can be accessed by clicking the respective link above and by going to the EOU Softball schedule page.
• All home games this year, minus this weekend's series, 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. 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 Mountaineers are currently on a six-game winning streak and 3-0 in CCC play.
• In the latest NAIA Top-25 poll, EOU is in the receiving votes category at what would be 35th.
• EOU's six-game winning streak is the longest under head coach Nicole Christian.
• This weekend's match-up between the 'Birds and Mounties is the first since 2020.
• Eastern has won each of the last four games against UBC and five of the last six.

Quick Hits
Last Time Out
• The Mounties posted a 4-0 weekend, taking down Bushnell in a road sweep, including a 3-0 sweep in CCC games.
• On day one, Eastern racked up 21 runs in a 9-4 and 12-6 run to secure the series win over the Beacons. 
• Day two action was a bit more low scoring, but nonetheless the Mounties were victorious. They won 4-0and 2-0 to dispatch the Beacons.

Series History vs. British Columbia
• The Mounties and 'Birds last met back in 2020. It was the final series of the year for both squads as COVID-19 essentially shut down the world.
• In the 2020 showdown, Eastern was the victor, winning all three CCC games before weather forced the fourth game to be canceled.
• Since 2013, the Mounties own a 13-8 record on the 'Birds. In neutral site games, EOU is 3-2 against UBC.

Travelin' Mounties
• EOU wrapped up its 17-game road swing going 12-5 after last weekend's sweep.
• For the 2022 season, Eastern will play 35 games away from home and just 14 at home.
• Early on to start the year, the Mounties are 9-4 in true road games
• In neutral site games, EOU is 3-1 to start the year ahead of this weekend's series.

Comin' Out Swingin'
• Two players are batting over .300 in 17 starts in Kayla Berg and Grace Gaither.
• Berg is the team leader at .385, while Gaither is batting .306.
• Berg leads the team in RBI with 14 and has accounted for all three of the team's home runs.
• Caitlin Crist has scored the most runs at 14 and leads the way in walks drawn with eight.
• Berg has the most hits with 20, with a team leading 11 being doubles.
• Three players are batting just under .300 in Madison Stateler (.296), Hannah Tyree (.296), and Taylor Dow (.286).

Swing and a Miss!
• Through 17 games, the Mounties have fanned 74 batters and allowed 30 walks.
• Eastern has a 2.67 team ERA to start the year and is holding batters to a .223 average.
• Amanda Smith leads the team in strikeouts with 32 and is 4-1 on the year.
• Smith has pitched five complete games and earned three saves.
• Mckenna Stallings is second in strikeouts with 19 and is 3-2 with a 2.63 ERA.
• Abby Giles has the best ERA at 0.35 in five games played and 20.0 innings pitched.
• Kayla Berg is third strikeouts with 15 in 15.1 innings pitched.

Stat Leaders (As of March 10)
• The Mounties rank second in the league in team ERA at 2.67 behind No. 1 Oregon tech.
• Eastern is fourth in the CCC in fielding percentage at .966.
• Kayla Berg leads the conference in doubles hit with 11. She is tied for third in total bases with 42.
• Haley Tyree is tied for third in the league in doubles hit with eight.
• Caitlin Crist is tied for fourth in the CCC in bases stolen with 10 on 11 attempts.
• Amanda Smith is fifth in wins and total strikeouts with five and 32, respectively.
• Smith also leads the league in saves with three and is tied for fourth in complete games with five.

Scouting the Thunderbirds
• UBC is 5-5 overall entering the weekend and is 4-2 early on in CCC play. They have yet to play a neutral site series prior to this weekend and are 1-5 in true road games.
• The 'Birds are hitting .288 as a team and have tallied 70 hits. They have scored 40 runs, but have yet to hit a home run this season.
• In the circle, UBC has a team ERA of 5.66. The team has thrown 53 strikeouts and is holding batters to a .277 average. They have surrendered six home runs and 70 total hits.
• Defensively, the 'Birds have a .947 fielding percentage. They have committed 14 errors on the year and have turned just one double play. They have given up 23 stolen bases as well.
• Emma Dorval is the leading batter with a .391 average. She has nine hits and tallied two RBI.
• Second in hitting is Mia Valcke with a .345 average. She has a team best 10 hits and is second in RBI with six. 
• Shae Sever leads the way in the circle with 26 strikeouts in 17.2 innings pitched. She is 2-0 on the year in five appearances and boasts a 2.38 ERA.
• Shelby Kempel is second in strikeouts with 20. She has pitched the most frames at 28.1 and is 2-3 on the year. She has appeared in a team-high seven games and has a 5.68 ERA.

Up Next
• The Mountaineers will be on the road next weekend, March 19-20, as CCC play continues on. Eastern will take on No. 6 Southern Oregon in Ashland. Day one action will begin at 12 p.m., with day two getting underway at 11 a.m.

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