SPOKANE, Wash. – The Eastern Oregon University softball team split its non-conference doubleheader with Whitworth University on Wednesday afternoon. Lindsey Walchli led the Mountaineers to a 3-2 victory in game one. The Mountaineers dropped the night cap, 5-2.
Game One – The Mountaineers jumped on the Pirates quick as Eastern Oregon scored two runs in the top of the first inning. Mariebeth Watanabe drew a walk to start the game. JoElla Smith singled on a bunt and Watanabe advanced to second base. After a wild pitch by Megan Fisher, Watanabe and Smith both advanced a base. After advancing a base Watanabe scored on the second wild pitch of the inning by Fisher. Katie Martell came up and recorded an RBI single to put EOU ahead 2-0.
Whitworth answered back in the bottom of the first inning. The Pirates loaded the base with no outs before Lindsey Walchli settled down. After loading the bases, Walchli struck out the next two batters before issuing a bases loaded walk to put Whitworth on the board. However, the Pirates left the bases loaded as Walchli recorded her third strikeout of the inning. After one inning, EOU led 2-1.
Eastern Oregon added to the lead in the top of the third inning. With one out, Stephanie Maestretti singled to start the Mountaineers off. After the Pirates recorded the second out of the inning, Cassie Wendt doubled to left field, scoring Maestretti to score, from first, extending the Mountaineers lead to 3-1.
The Mountaineers continued to hold onto its two run lead until the bottom of the sixth inning. After a leadoff walk to Shannon Wessel got the Pirates going in the inning, Julia Johnson followed with a RBI double to left center to put Whitworth down one, 3-2. However, Walchli settled down after giving up the one run and retired the next three batters and going to the final inning EOU led, 3-2.
Whitworth never got anything going in the bottom of the seventh inning as Walchli retired the first three batters she faced in the inning and Eastern Oregon came away with a 3-2 victory over Whitworth.
Walchli picked her sixth win of the season as she tossed seven innings of four hit ball, while giving up two runs (one earned). She recorded a season-high 11 strikeouts en route to the victory.
Game Two – Like game one, Eastern Oregon scored early in game two. With one out, JoElla Smith hit a solo home run to right center to put the Mountaineers on top, 1-0.
After the run in the first inning, both pitchers settled down until the bottom of the fourth inning. After Walchli issued a leadoff walk to Johnson, the Pirates tried to manufacture a run as they bunted Powles, who was pinch running for Johnson over to second base. Kelsey Stroshine, drew a walk to put two runners on base for Whitworth. After a ground out advanced Powles and Stroshine a base, Walchli settled down to record a strike out to end the inning to keep the Mountaineers on top, 1-0.
After EOU could not get anything going in the top of the fifth inning, the Pirates offense started to click when they took up the bats. Whitworth led off the inning with a walk and followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases. Shannon Wessel came to the plate and singled up the middle to score two runs to put Whitworth ahead, 2-1. The very next batter for Whitworth, Johnson, hit a three run home run to right field to extend the lead to 5-1, which would be the score after five complete innings.
Eastern Oregon started to mount a comeback in the top of the seventh inning. Katie Martell singled to lead off the inning and Maestretti followed with a single up the middle to put runners on first and second with no outs. The Mountaineer runners advanced to second and third after Brittnee Carman-Rice grounded out to the pitcher for the first out of the inning. Wendt followed with a sacrifice fly, which scored one, but on the play the runner from second base was called out for leaving early ending the game. EOU fell 5-2.
The Mountaineers return to action on Sunday, March 30th when they host Northwest Christian University in CCC action. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.