EOU Softball Sweeps Great Falls on Day One Doubleheader
LA GRANDE, Ore. – Stepping onto the diamond for the first time all season at Peggy Anderson Field, the EOU softball team edged out Great Falls in two one-point games Friday afternoon.
A single through the right side from senior designated-player Lauren Burchak in the fifth inning gave EOU (10-7, 6-2 CCC) the insurance run needed for senior pitcher Haylie Van Laethem to secure the win.
After the Mountaineers scored twice in the bottom half of the first, Great Falls (8-8, 1-7 CCC) responded with an RBI double the following inning to tie the contest at 2-2. Just like in game one, EOU rallied in the fifth to take back control of the contest as senior first baseman Cheyenne Barker hit a soft pop fly that dropped into shallow left field, allowing junior shortstop Lena Richards to score.
GAME ONE – EOU 3, UGF 2
With runners in scoring position and one away, Barker gave EOU the early 1-0 advantage in the first inning with a sac fly to right field. The Argos answered back in the very next frame, collecting one run on two hits.
In the bottom of the second, junior center fielder Kaitlyn Reynolds grounded out to short, only to advance all the way to second on a throwing error. Senior left fielder Taylor Gerlach then dug into the batter’s box and hit a liner down left field line, scoring in Reynolds.
Holding on to a 2-1 lead, the next two innings would go scoreless, but with two outs in the fifth, Kylie Gonzales hit a solo blast over the right-center wall on a 1-0 count, tying the contest at 2-2.
Unfazed by the previous inning, the Mountaineers rolled into the fifth frame and did their damage with two outs. With Richards standing on second, Barker was then hit by a pitch, putting two runners on. Burchak then took the first pitch she saw and drove it through the ride side for an RBI single.
The one-run cushion proved to be enough for Van Laethem who retired the side in the sixth and closed the door on the Argos with eight pitches in the final inning for the victory.
Van Laethem with the complete game, moved to 2-2 on the year, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out five.
Mikayla Diegan took the loss for UGF, pitching five innings with two earned runs on five hits.
GAME TWO – EOU 3, UGF 2
It was a rough first inning for senior pitcher Hailey Kline as the first batter struck out, but reached first on a wild pitch. Three batters later with two away, a single to center would give the Argos 1-0 lead. Kline escaped the jam throwing 23 pitches.
That lead quickly disappeared with the Mountaineers scoring two in the bottom of the first. With Richards on second and Barker on first with two outs, Burchak’s fly ball to left field was dropped, allowing the junior to come around and cross home plate. Junior second baseman Kasidee Lemberger followed up with an RBI single, giving EOU the 2-1 margin.
In the second, UGF tied the affair with an RBI double. With the next three innings going scoreless, both pitchers would only give up three combined hits during that span.
Reynolds started off the fifth inning singling up the middle with a full count, T. Gerlach then laid down a sac bunt to advance the junior to second base. Looking for her first hit of the second match, Richards came up and lined a 3-2 delivery to right field, but it was not enough for Reynolds to score.
Barker took care of that, hitting a fly ball to shallow left field, that dropped in front of the shortstop for the base hit and the score. Kline did the rest, yielding only one hit over the final two innings to complete the win. The senior moved to one game above .500 on the year (5-4), fanning eight batters over seven innings.
UP NEXT
EOU returns to the diamond tomorrow when it hosts Great Falls at Peggy Anderson Field. First pitch in the twinbill is set for 10 a.m.