LA GRANDE, Ore. – From a grand slam by senior shortstop Haley Hess in game one to a walk-off homer in the 11th inning by junior catcher Alex Shuster in game two, it was some kind of Saturday afternoon at Peggy Anderson Field for the Eastern Oregon University softball team.
The Mountaineers capped the 2016 home slate with a pair of thrilling wins (8-3, 5-3) over the Eagles, as they bode farewell to three seniors in Hess, center fielder Shelby Baertsch, and first baseman Marisa Gonzalez.
GAME ONE
EOU 8, Northwest 3
EOU wasted no time jumping on Northwest early, plating six runs in the second frame, including a grand slam by Hess en route to collecting an 8-3 triumph.
Hess went 3-for-5 at the dish with a pair of doubles, while Gonzalez and junior catcher Alex Shuster tallied two hits apiece.
Junior pitcher Haylie Van Laethem tossed four strikeouts in six innings, while junior hurler Alexis Spence yielded one hit in the final inning.
Aubree Slocum, Savannah Rush, and Ricki Tacdol each recorded one hit and one RBI for the Eagles. In the circle, Kelli Peckham dropped to 6-15 on the year.
EOU put the pressure on Northwest early, loading the bases in the bottom of the second after Van Laethem kept the Eagles hitless in the first two frames. That’s when Hess emptied the bases, as the senior blasted a grand slam to center field to put EOU on top, 4-0.
A pair of walks and a single up the middle by Gonzalez juiced the bases once more, and then a fielding error by Northwest tacked on another run for the Mountaineers. On a 2-2 count, sophomore second baseman Maryssa Santi popped a sacrifice fly to plate junior right fielder Cheyenne Barker and cap the six-run inning.
In the third stanza, EOU responded to a one-run inning by Northwest with two runs of its own to extend its advantage to seven (8-1). Hess mustered a two-out double down the left-field line, and then Baertsch followed with an RBI single. The Mountaineers continued to pile it on, as Barker launched an RBI double on the second swing of her at-bat.
Northwest’s Courtney Cox opened the fifth inning with a double and ultimately advanced to third after a pair of outs, but Van Laethem forced a groundout to retire the side and keep the score at 8-1.
Despite gibing up a pair of runs to Northwest in the sixth inning, Spence stepped in the circle for EOU and forced two pop outs and a groundout to cash the victory.
GAME TWO
EOU 5, Northwest 3 (11 INNINGS)
In game two, Shuster aided a remarkable comeback, providing the tying homer to send the battle into extra innings before swatting a two-run walk-off homer to lead the Mountaineers past the Eagles, 5-3.
Hess replicated her 3-for-5 effort from game one, while Shuster did added three hits and a trio of RBI. Kline improved to 12-6 for EOU, tossing 11 strikeouts on the way to the victory.
Danielle Bonsky and Alyssa Gonzalez logged two hits for Northwest, while Hannah Yelas suffered the loss in the circle.
Northwest (11-25, 6-18 CCC) loaded the bases with nobody out right from the get-go via two walks and a bunt single. Rush followed with an RBI single to left field on an 0-2 count, and then Bonsky added a two-run single to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead.
EOU (22-20, 13-9 CCC) fired back, plating a run in the second stanza after junior designated player Lauren Burchak reached base on a hit-by-pitch and later scooted home on a passed ball.
Another opportunity for the Mountaineers popped up in the third with two runners on and only one out, but the middle of the lineup came up empty.
Kline’s persistence kept it a 3-1 ball game through six innings, and EOU pulled within one (3-2) in the sixth inning. Hess opened the stanza with a bunt single to the pitcher and, after advancing to second on a groundout, scored via an RBI single by Barker.
With their backs against the wall in the seventh inning, the Mountaineers looked destined for another split until Shuster smacked the game-tying homer to left-center field.
After the Eagles went hitless in the eighth, Hess and Baertsch led off with singles to put two on with nobody out. However, Northwest had just enough juice to escape the loaded jam, forcing a fly out and a double play to extend the game.
EOU had multiple opportunities in the ninth and 10th innings, leaving a total of three runners in scoring position stranded in those frames.
After Santi hit a one-out double in the 11th inning, Shuster rose to hero-status with a two-run walk-off homer, sending the EOU dugout and the fans at Peggy Anderson Field into elation.
GAME BALL GOES TO…
Hess – The shortstop out of Kennewick, Wash., couldn’t have performed any better on Senior Day, hitting her first-career grand slam in game one and batting 3-for-5 in both contests.
Shuster – A junior transfer from Spokane Falls C.C., Shuster launched the tying homer to send the game into extra innings before belting a two-run walk-off homer to lead EOU in game two.
UP NEXT
EOU heads to Caldwell, Idaho, for its regular-season finale against College of Idaho. First pitch in game one is set for 11 a.m. MT. To follow live stats,
click here.