LA GRANDE, Ore. – No. 11-ranked Eastern Oregon softball bounced back from a 7-5 loss in game one to defeat Carroll 7-2 in game two Saturday at Peggy Anderson Field, earning a Cascade Collegiate Conference doubleheader split.
Game One: Carroll 7, Eastern Oregon 5
Carroll capitalized on nine walks and a three-run third inning to edge Eastern Oregon in the opener. The Saints jumped ahead 2-0 in the first following a wild pitch and an RBI infield single by Taylor Sayers. The Mountaineers responded in the bottom half with an RBI single by Hannah Tyree and a sacrifice fly from Emily Barry to cut the deficit to 2-1.
EOU took a brief 3-2 lead in the second when an error and a two-out RBI single from Raygun Klippert brought home two runs. But the Saints plated three runs in the third—two on bases-loaded walks and one on a wild pitch—before adding two more in the fourth on a Carlee Smith two-run single to push the lead to 7-3.
The Mounties fought back with a sacrifice fly by Barry in the fifth and a solo home run from Haley Tyree in the sixth, but could not close the gap. Klippert went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Camille Schmitz threw four scoreless innings of relief.
Game Two: Eastern Oregon 7, Carroll 2
Eastern Oregon used a five-run fourth inning and a strong outing from Macao Jackson to power past Carroll in game two. After trading runs early, the Mountaineers took a 2-1 lead in the first on an RBI single by Madelyn Durham and a sac fly from Emily Barry.
Tied 2-2 in the fourth, EOU erupted offensively. Olivia Brown doubled to open the frame, and Kelly Monaghan, Haley Tyree, and Katelynn Evans each delivered RBI doubles to push the lead to 6-2. Durham capped the inning with a two-run double down the right-field line, her third hit of the game.
Jackson earned the win in relief, allowing just two hits and one run over five innings while striking out four. Durham finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Brown, Monaghan, and Haley Tyree each added multi-base hits.
With the split, Eastern Oregon moved to 23-6 overall and 18-3 in CCC play. The Mounties will next travel to Eugene, Ore. to face the Bushnell Beacons on Friday April 18th.
