TACOMA, Wash. – The No. 3-ranked Eastern Oregon University Softball team capped off a perfect four-game series Sunday afternoon, earning 5–0 and 4–2 victories over University of Puget Sound.
Game 1
Eastern struck early in the opener as
Raygun Klippert drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a single by
Isabella Lauerman, aided by a throwing error from the Loggers. Lauerman attempted to stretch the advantage on
Lexi Grumbois' single but was thrown out at the plate.
Maliyah Mann set the tone in the circle, retiring the side in order in the first inning. The Mountaineers added to their lead in the second when
Allison Baumgart doubled and
Kelly Monaghan was hit by a pitch. RBI hits from Klippert and Lauerman extended the advantage to 3–0.
Eastern padded its lead again in the third. Monaghan delivered a double to score Grumbois, and Fowler followed with a single to bring home Baumgart for the game's final run. The Mountaineer pitching staff and defense handled the rest, keeping Puget Sound off the board to secure the 5–0 shutout.
Mann (3–1) earned the win after tossing four scoreless innings, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out five.
Hannah Ebner closed out the final three innings, surrendering just one hit and striking out four to earn the save. Perryman was charged with the loss for Puget Sound.
Game 2
The series finale proved to be the tightest contest of the weekend, but Eastern completed the sweep with a 4–2 win.
Once again, the Mountaineers jumped ahead in the first inning. Klippert singled to open the game and came around to score on a center-field error. Puget Sound responded in the bottom half with an unearned run following two Eastern miscues.
The game remained tied through two innings before the Loggers used a pair of singles and a walk in the third to take a 2–1 lead. Puget Sound maintained that advantage into the final inning, limiting Eastern to just one hit and one walk over the middle frames, while Mountie pitching kept the deficit at one.
Eastern delivered in the seventh. Klippert drove in two runs with a clutch RBI hit to reclaim the lead, and Lauerman followed with another RBI to extend it to 4–2. The Mountaineers allowed just one hit in the bottom half before sealing the victory and the four-game sweep.
Camille Schmitz (1–0) went the distance in the circle, allowing just one earned run on four hits while striking out three to earn the win. N. Estrada (0–2) took the loss for Puget Sound.
Up Next
Eastern Oregon returns to action Saturday, February 21, for a neutral-site matchup in Caldwell, Idaho, against Carroll College at 3 p.m. and 5 PM MT.
