CALDWELL, Idaho – No. 3-ranked Eastern Oregon softball continued its hot start to the season on Day 1 of neutral-site play, sweeping Carroll College with commanding performances in both ends of the doubleheader. The Mountaineers exploded offensively in Game 1, then capped the sweep with a shutout in Game 2 to improve to 7-1 on the year.
Game 1
Eastern Oregon put the pressure on from the opening inning and never looked back, ending the game early via the 5-inning mercy rule.
Carroll struck first with an early run in the top of the first, but EOU quickly responded. In the bottom of the frame, the Mountaineers erupted for three runs as
Lexi Grumbois delivered a key RBI single and
Kelly Monaghan added a two-RBI knock to put EOU ahead. From there, the offense never let up.
The Mounties continued to extend the lead in the third, plating five more runs behind RBIs from
Allison Baumgart,
Alexis Blankenship and a run-producing double by
Raygun Klippert. Baumgart added another RBI in the fourth, and Monaghan drove home another run later in the inning to push the total to double digits. Carroll added a late run in the fifth, but the Mountaineers' bats had already done their damage.
On the mound,
Maliyah Mann earned the win, allowing just two runs and four hits over five innings of work. Her steady outing anchored a dominant team effort.
Game 2
In Game 2, the Mountaineers turned in a complete pitching performance and big swings at the plate to close the sweep.
EOU broke through in the second inning as
Elizabeth Heinz delivered an RBI single to put the Mounties on top. In the third,
Hope Burke blasted a three-run home run, sparking a five-run frame and taking control of the contest. The offense added an insurance run in the fifth with an RBI single from
Kaya Enriquez.
Senior
Natalie Dimitrov was outstanding in the circle, firing a complete-game shutout. She scattered just two hits, struck out five and kept Carroll off the scoreboard all evening, improving her record to 4-2 in the circle.
The Mountaineers will return tomorrow for another set of neutral games against Providence, with first pitch set for 11 AM and 1 PM MT.
