NAMPA, Idaho – On the first day of the College of Idaho Invitational the Eastern Oregon split a pair of games. EOU opened the day with an 8-7 victory, in nine innings, over Carroll College before falling to Great Falls, 4-2, to end their day.
Carroll
The Fighting Saints offense started out quick. With one out and two runners on, Kinley Pope grounded out and knocked in a run for the Fighting Saints, putting them up 1-0.
The Mountaineers responded quickly in the bottom of the first after
Haley Hess led off with a walk. She advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a
Samantha Scott ground out. With Hess on third,
Cassie Wendt doubled down the left field line, scoring Hess and tying the game at 1-1. After Wendt moved up on a ground out,
Shelby Baertsch singled through the left side, scoring Wendt, putting EOU ahead 2-1.
In the bottom of the third, the Mountaineers added to their lead. With two runners on, Baertsch singled to left field, scoring one and extending the Mountaineers lead to, 3-1.
Carroll answered right back in the top of the fourth and trimmed the EOU lead down to one, 3-2. Maddie Jones led off the inning with a home run to center field. The Fighting Saints threatened later in the inning but could not get another run across the plate.
The Mountaineers responded again and in the bottom of the fourth.
Andrea Roeder led off with a bunt single and was sacrificed over to second. She proceeded to steal third base and Scott drove her in with a single up the middle, extending the EOU lead to 4-2.
Carroll did not go away as they added a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth inning, trimming the Mountaineers' lead back to one, 4-3. The Fighting Saints kept the Mountaineers' bats quiet over the next two innings and going to the seventh, Carroll found themselves down one, 4-3. Carroll continued to battle and Jones singled up the middle for an RBI single, tying the game at 4-4.
Carroll retired the Mountaineers, in order, in the bottom of the seventh inning and the Fighting Saints and EOU headed to extra innings. Carroll wasted little time in the top of the eighth inning to take the lead. Carroll scored two runs in the top of the eighth and EOU found themselves down 6-4.
Eastern Oregon responded in the bottom of the inning. With runners on first and second, Scott hit a sacrifice fly scoring one, putting EOU down 6-5. A wild pitched advanced
Corinna Maestas to third base, putting the tying run 60 feet away. Wendt came up and hit a double to right center, scoring Maestas tying the game at 6-6.
Carroll took the lead in the top of the ninth inning, with one out, Jaylin Kenney singled to center field scoring one and putting the Fighting Saints ahead, 7-6.
The Mountaineers answered right back as
Gracie Flyg tripled down the right field tying the game at 7-7. After two straight walks,
Taylor Smith reached on a fielder's choice, which scored Flyg. Flyg's run was the game winning run and EOU came away with an 8-7 victory.
Wendt and Baertsch led the Mountaineers' 13 hit attack, with three hits apiece.
Ashley Driscoll came in and threw a 1 2/3 innings to collect the win.
Great Falls
The Mountaineers and Argos were locked in a pitcher's duel. Both teams combined for 10 hits and only scored in two innings. After the first two inning of play, Great Falls and EOU compiled for one hit.
Eastern Oregon broke the scoreless tie in the top of the third inning. After Scott reached on a walk to lead the inning off, she proceeded to steal second base. Wendt followed with a double to center field, which scored Scott putting EOU ahead, 1-0. Wendt came around to score on an RBI single by Marissa Gonzalez. After two and a half innings of play, EOU led, 2-0.
The Argos did not pick up their first hit of the game until the bottom of the fourth inning. Mindy Larson picked up the first hit for the Argos. After a ground out, Keely Van Blaricom singled to put two runs on base for Great Falls.
Kirstie Thomas followed with a double that scored one for Great Falls and cut the EOU lead in half, 2-1. The Argos were not done as Regan Rucks followed with a two run RBI double that put Great Falls on top, 3-2. Jocelyn Kaufman added to the Argos lead on a double that scored Rucks extending their lead to 4-2 over EOU.
EOU looked to have the offense clicking in the top of the fifth inning. Scott drew a walk to lead the inning off. Wendt followed with a double putting runners on second and third with no outs. The Mountaineers did not score in the inning as the next three hitters were retired.
Eastern Oregon looked to get something going in the top of the sixth inning. With one out,
McKenna Michelsen drew a walk. She advanced to second base on a ground out. Hess drew a walk to put two runners on with two outs, but the Mountaineers could not get a run across the plate.
The Mountaineers came up to bate in the top of the seventh inning but were retired in order and would fall to Great Falls, 4-2.
Wendt collected three of the four hits the Mountaineers had in the game.
The Mountaineers return to action tomorrow when they face Northwest Nazarene at 9 a.m. PT. EOU also plays MSU-Billings tomorrow at 3 p.m. PT.