Ashleigh Byrne and the Mountaineers begin the season 2-0.
NEWBERG, Ore. -- The Eastern Oregon University softball team won on its opening day against George Fox University.
The Mountaineers (2-0) swept its season openers at NCAA Div. 3, George Fox, 8-7 and 6-3. The Bruins (3-3) have already beat three Cascade Collegiate Conference teams this season, including CCC preseason favorite, The College of Idaho.
"George Fox is a very good team," EOU head coach Missy Wheeler said. "They are talented. They will be a much different team this season then they have been recently."
Freshman Jen McDonnell made her collegiate start in Game 1 for Eastern Oregon. It wasn't exactly an easy start for the Mollala, Ore. native. She allowed seven runs on six hits in 3.2 innings. But, Suzie Espinoza came in and allowed six hits, no runs, walked no batters, and struck out four batters in the final 3.1 innings.
George Fox got off to an early 2-0 lead after scoring runs in the first and third innings. The Mountaineers scored three runs in the fourth to take the lead off of a Krista Kountz home run. The Bruins responded with five runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Eastern scored five runs in the top of the fifth and sixth innings, including four runs in the sixth inning to put GFU away. The Mountaineers held George Fox scoreless over the final three innings. EOU left only four runners on base in the first game, and was struck out only four times.
McDonnell rebounded and picked up her first collegiate victory in Game 2. The freshman threw a complete game, and held the Bruins scoreless through the first four innings. Eastern scored four runs in the first four innings.
Espinoza went 3 for 4 with a RBI in the second game. The sophomore finished the day 5 for 7 at the plate. Wailana Buchanan had three RBI in Game 2, which included a home run.
After giving up 12 hits in the first game and committing two errors, Eastern Oregon cleaned things up in the doubleheader finale with 12 hits of its own and committed no errors.
The Mountaineers travel to Lewis & Clark College in Portland Sunday. The Pioneers (0-5) have been outscored 28-4 against four Cascade Conference opponents so far this season. The first pitch of Sunday's doubleheader is at 11 a.m.