SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – Eastern Oregon Baseball split Friday's doubleheader at Bushnell University, dropping a tight 2–1 decision in game one before erupting for a 16–3 run-rule win in game two. The nightcap victory marked the Mountaineers' first win over the Beacons since 2022.
Game 1
In another close game this season, the Mounties came up just short, falling 2–1 to Bushnell in game one.
From the outset, it was a pitchers' duel, with both sides racking up strikeouts and forcing weak contact. Neither team put more than two runners on base at a time through the first seven innings. Eastern Oregon mounted an early threat in the third, using a two-out walk and a double to put pressure on the Beacons.
Jace Nagler attempted to steal home to break the scoreless tie but was thrown out to end the inning.
Bushnell responded in the bottom half, taking a 1–0 lead on a solo home run from Nate Stevens.
The score held until the fifth inning, when Bushnell added what proved to be the decisive insurance run. Chase Nye led off with a single and advanced to third following a wild pitch and a balk. Eli Pupo then delivered an RBI double to bring him home. Despite the threat, Eastern Oregon limited the damage by turning a double play and recording a forceout at third.
The Mountaineers answered in the sixth, cutting the deficit to 2–1 on a two-out RBI single by
Carson Gerding. They threatened again in the seventh, loading the bases with two singles and a walk, but a popup and a strikeout ended the inning, leaving all three runners stranded.
Both teams were held scoreless over the final innings as Bushnell secured the narrow victory.
Easton Corey (2–5) took the loss for Eastern Oregon. Kai Keamo earned the win, pitching 6.0 innings while allowing just one run and one walk and striking out seven. Jacob Courtney picked up the save with 3.0 innings of relief, surrendering only two hits and striking out four.
Game 2
Eastern Oregon answered in dominant fashion in game two, rolling to a 16–3 victory behind a breakout offensive performance.
The Mountaineers struck early, as
Jace Nagler led off with a single and later scored on an RBI knock from
Alex Olague.
Jaxon Logsdon followed with a two-run home run to give EOU a 3–0 lead in the first.
They added four more runs in the third, capitalizing on timely hitting and a Bushnell error.
David Soto drove in a run with a double, while two more scored on a misplay in the outfield.
Kai Brown capped the inning with an RBI groundout to make it 7–0.
Bushnell broke through in the fourth inning as Eli Pupo led off with a double and Josh Miyazawa followed with a single. Eastern later picked off Takuma, who had entered as a pinch runner, but Pupo was able to score on the play.
After several quiet innings, the Mountaineers broke the game open in the eighth, plating nine runs. Gerding started the surge with a two-RBI single, followed by a three-run homer from Olague. A string of hits, along with a hit-by-pitch and productive outs, brought in the remaining runs.
Facing a run-rule deficit, the Beacons pushed across two runs in the bottom half, but the comeback fell short.
Jake Lenberger closed the game with a strikeout to secure the 16–3 win in eight innings.
Jace Schow (1–5) earned the win, allowing one run over five innings with eight strikeouts. Lenberger picked up the save with three innings of relief, striking out five. Griffin Sanchez (1–3) took the loss for Bushnell.
Up Next
Eastern Oregon and Bushnell will meet again tomorrow to decide the series, now tied 1–1. The doubleheader is set to begin at 11:00 a.m.
