Northwest Earns First Sweep
CLACKAMAS, Ore. - With each step the young NU Eagle softball team takes, history is written in the the record books in their first year of existence. Today, the Eagles earned a doubleheader sweep of Eastern Oregon with identical 2-1 scores with the second win coming in extra innings. NU won the first game in 7 innings, but the second game took 11 innings and some clutch pitching, defense and hitting to get the win.
Game 1: Eagle pitcher Kelli Peckham threw a five hitter and the defense played error-free ball as NU picked up their first Cascade Conference win, 2-1, in the first game of a doubleheader at Delta Park. Peckham struck out 6 Maountaineer batters while only giving up just 2 walks. Alex Hilmick took the loss for EOU as she gave up 7 hits, striking out four Eagle batters and walking two.
Northwest scored two runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning as Lauren Robinson's double down the left field line scored Ricki Tacdol and Lynzee Halcott who were on 2nd and 3rd base. That would be all they would need for the victory. Eastern scored their lone run in the top of the 4th inning as Peckham held the Mountaineers in check most of the game. Lauren Robinson and Sarah Payne led the Eagles as they both went 3 for 3 from the plate.
"Our pitching and defense held strong to get us our first conference win," said John Bacon, Eagle head coach. "We focused on our team goals and it helped us remain on task. I'm very proud of these amazing young women."
GAME 2: Sarah Payne's two out clutch base hit in the bottom of the 11th inning helped lead the Eagles to a 2-1 extra inning victory and a doubleheader sweep of Eastern Oregon this afternoon.
Lynzee Halcott led off the 11th with a double to left center. Ricki Tacdol grounded out moving Halcott to 3rd base followed by Ashley Curtis' foul out to the 3rd baseman. Payne stepped up and hit a 2-0 pitch up the middle scoring Halcott for the win. It was a capper for a big day for Payne who led the Eagles going 3 for 5 for the contest. Amanda Matthews went 2 for 4 to also lead NU.
Vanessa Ahrendt went the distance for the Eagles giving up just 5 hits and a run. Ahrendt also struck out 11 Mountaineer batters. The NU defense came up big once again with just one error in the 11 innings. K.L. Anderson pitched 10.2 inning for Eastern Oregon giving up the two runs on 9 hits on two Mountie errors.
"We got stellar pitching from Vanessa Ahrendt and clutch hitting to propel us the the 11 inning victory today and the first sweep in program history!" commented Eagle coach, John Bacon.
NU takes on the College of Idaho tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. at Delta Park to wrap up the weekend. Eastern Oregon will play Concordia at the same time and also at Delta Park on Saturday.