Senior Megan McLearn struck out nine batters in a loss to Eastern Oregon on Friday.
Mounties Move Into Fifth Place With Sweep of Northwest Christian
EUGENE, Ore. – Northwest Christian College struck out 15 batters, including 9 from game-two starter Megan McLearn, but lost a pair of games to Eastern Oregon University on Friday afternoon. The Beacon defense cost dearly with seven errors spread out over the two games costing 11 unearned runs to score.
Darci Byrne got NCC off on the right foot to open game one, striking out five batters over the first two innings to set the tone. The Mounties were the first on the scoreboard in the third inning grabbing two unearned runs off of an error. EOU scored two more in the sixth to take a 4-0 lead. The Beacons were able to get on the board in the bottom frame with an unearned run of their own. Jen West reached on an error to open the inning and when Cassie Bishop was walked with the bases loaded, West trotted home from third.
Eastern Oregon added a run in the top of the seventh as Megan Platz crushed her conference-leading 12th home run of the season over the right field fence. Kelly West (6-9) picked up the victory going four innings and allowing just three hits while striking out two. Mildenberger threw the final three innings, striking out four en route to her second save of the season. Byrne (7-12) picked up the loss for the Beacons, who stranded 12 runners on base in the game and twice had the bases loaded with less than two outs and couldn’t come up with a run.
Game two started out well enough for the Beacons, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Bishop led off the inning with a double down the left field line and after Lissa Hatefi sacrificed her to third, a Cotie Howard single brought her home. NCC went on to take a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning when two runs scored on a single by Brittany Robles.
After scoring single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, Eastern was looking to take their first lead of the game and were able to do so in the sixth inning. Teri Cisler reached on an error to open the inning and then with two outs, number nine hitter Iris Woodhead hit a two-run homerun, giving the Mounties a 4-3 advantage.
The Beacons made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh inning. Bishop again led off the inning with a double and she was once again moved to third by Hatefi. As if on cue, Howard singled her home to tie the game in a mirror image of the bottom of the first inning.
The game moved to extra innings, the first time at home this season for the Beacons. Platz opened the top half with a triple down the right field line and the wheels fell off for NCC. Cisler walked and Alison Stosich reached on an error that brought Platz across the plate for what would become the game-winner. Three more runs score in the inning after another error for an 8-4 final score.
McLearn (1-13) struck out nine and allowed ten hits, but the five NCC errors added up all eight runs being unearned as the senior pitcher remained without a conference victory yet this season. Cassie Bishop tied another single-season record for the Beacons, getting multiple hits in her 13th game this season, tying a mark set by both Kathy Richard and Kasey Sconce in 2006.
The Beacons return to action on Saturday to face The College of Idaho, weather permitting. A cold front is moving into Lane County and snow is possible on the valley floor. First pitch is currently scheduled for 11:00 am.