CALDWELL, Idaho – The Eastern Oregon University Softball Team went 2-0 on the second day of the College of Idaho Invitational as they defeated NCAA Division II Northwest Nazarene, 3-2, before closing out their day with an 8-7 victory over NCAA Division II MSU-Billings.
Northwest Nazarene
After a scoreless first inning, the Crusaders broke the scoreless tie in the top of the second inning. With a runner on second base, Whitney Carlton advanced to third base on a wild pitch. After a strikeout, Alyssa Nitschelm singled to center field scoring the first run of the game.
Northwest Nazarene added to their lead in the top of the third inning. With two outs, and a runner on first, Carlton doubled to center field scoring one and extending the Crusaders' lead to 2-0 over the Mountaineers.
Eastern Oregon's bats started to come to life in the bottom of the third inning.
CeCe Pratt doubled to left field to lead the inning off for EOU. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Pratt came around to score on a
Samantha Scott single cutting the Crusaders lead in half. After three innings of play, EOU trailed 2-1.
The game remained close with Northwest Nazarene leading EOU, 2-1, until the bottom of the fifth inning.
Haley Hess reached on a fielding error and advanced to second on a ground out.
Cassie Wendt tied the game at 2-2, when she recorded an RBI double to left field, scoring Hess. Wendt advanced to third on a ground out and came around to score on a Crusaders throwing error, putting EOU ahead, 3-2.
The Mountaineers shut down the Crusaders offense in the sixth and seventh innings as Northwest Nazarene only collected one hit over the final two innings of play. With EOU ahead, 3-2, the Crusaders came to bat in the top of the seventh. In the seventh inning,
Lindsey Walchli struck out two and got a ground out, ending the game with the Mountaineers coming away with a 3-2 victory.
Walchli picked up her third win of the season as she pitched a complete game, allowing two runs and striking out eight. Pratt led the Mountaineers with two hits.
MSU-Billings
After two scoreless innings of play, EOU and MSU-Billings found themselves scoreless. In the top of the third inning the Mountaineers offense came to life. After a walk, and two straight hit batters, EOU had the bases loaded. After a fielder's choice,
Gracie Flyg doubled scoring two and putting EOU ahead, 2-0. Pratt followed with a single to score the third run of the game for EOU. The Mountaineers added one more run, when Flyg scored on a passed ball and after two and a half innings were complete, EOU led 4-0.
The Yellow Jackets looked as if they were going to start chipping away at the Mountaineers lead in the bottom of the third. With two runners on, Cameron Cassinelli doubled to right field scoring one run. That would all the Yellow Jackets would get in the inning and after three, EOU led, 4-1.
MSU-Billings battled all the way back in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Yellow Jackets scored five runs, taking a 6-4 lead over the Mountaineers going to the fifth inning.
The Mountaineers would not go away quietly as they continued to battle and EOU loaded the bases with two outs in the inning. With the bases loaded,
Samantha Scott came up to bat and drew a walk cutting the lead in half, 6-5.
The Mountaineers kept the Yellow Jackets off the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning and the Mountaineers bats went back to work. In the sixth inning, the Mountaineers took advantage of the errors by the Yellow Jackets defense. Baertsch reached on an error and advanced to second on the misplay. After the second out of the inning, Pratt reached on an MSU-Billings error and on the play Baertsch came around to score tying the game at 6-6.
MSU-Billings and the Mountaineers remained tied at 6-6 going to the top of the seventh inning. After the first two hitters were retired, Scott singled to center field to get the rally going. Wendt followed hitting a home run to left field putting EOU ahead, 8-6.
The Yellow Jackets would make one last push in the bottom of the seventh inning. Kelsey Devlin led off with a single to center field. She remained on first with one out, until Taylor Doran singled and Devlin advanced to third base. With runners on the corners, Heather Tracy grounded out, which scored Devlin, and EOU held an 8-7 lead. The next Yellow Jacket hitter flied out in foul territory and EOU came away with an 8-7 victory.
The Mountaineers return to action tomorrow at 10 a.m. MT when they play MSU-Billings at Northwest Nazarene. They conclude the College of Idaho Invitational at 2 p.m. MT against the University of Great Falls.