ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The No. 3 Eastern Oregon University softball team opened the 2026 season with a split against Central Washington University on Friday. The Mountaineers dropped the opener 9–4 before bouncing back with a 14–11 victory in game two, which was called after five innings due to loss of light.
Game 1
Both teams were held scoreless in a quick first inning, with Eastern Oregon managing a double and Central Washington recording two singles. The Mountaineers struck first in the top of the second when
Alexis Blankenship drew a walk and
Hope Burke followed with a two-run home run to give EOU a 2–0 lead.
Kelly Monaghan later reached on a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Ashlynn Komp but was left stranded.
Central Washington answered in the bottom of the inning, capitalizing on a hit and an Eastern Oregon error to plate two runs and tie the game. EOU regained the lead in the third as
Isabella Lauerman reached on an error and eventually scored on groundouts. The Wildcats again responded, tying the game at 3–3 with a solo home run by Holdren and adding another run after two walks and a sacrifice fly.
The Wildcats extended their lead with two more runs in the fourth inning and kept the Mounties off the scoreboard through the fifth. Eastern Oregon added their final run in the sixth when Monaghan doubled home Burke, who had reached on a single. Trailing by just two runs heading into the final inning, the Mountaineers struggled with walks and errors, which Central Washington converted into insurance runs to secure the 9–4 win.
Game 2
Despite being shortened due to fading daylight, the Mountaineers made the most of five innings to earn the series split. Eastern Oregon jumped out to an early four-run lead in the first inning. Raygun Klipp opened the game with a single and scored following a Central Washington error and a hit from Lauerman. Lexi Grumboi then extended the lead with a three-run home run.
Central Washington responded immediately, scoring seven runs on four hits and three EOU errors, then added three more runs in the second inning to take a five-run advantage. The Mounties battled back, stringing together three walks and three hits to cut the deficit to one before the Wildcats pushed across two additional runs in the bottom of the inning.
Eastern Oregon's offense came alive again in the fourth, plating six runs.
Emily Barry singled, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on a Grumboi single. Grumboi later came home on a Monaghan single. With
Elizabeth Heinz and Blankenship aboard, Klippert ripped a double down the right-field line to drive in two more runs. A combination of walks and errors brought Klippert home for what proved to be the Mountaineers' final run. EOU held the Wildcats scoreless in the bottom of the fourth, stranding two runners.
Central Washington added a solo home run in the fifth for its final run before the game was called due to insufficient light, sealing the 14–11 Eastern Oregon victory.
Up Next
The Mountaineers return to action Saturday, February 14, in Tacoma, Washington, to face the University of Puget Sound in a doubleheader at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. The four-game series concludes Sunday, February 15, with games scheduled for 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.
