Softball 4/27/2019 6:28:00 PM Iain Dexter, EOU Sports Information Director Rothwell Hits Walk-Off Single to Cap Off Senior Day, Season LA GRANDE, Ore. – Senior Hannah Rothwell hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning to lead the Eastern Oregon softball team over No. 10 Oregon Tech 7-6 in the final game of the season on Senior Day. The Mountaineers fell 6-1 in the first game on Saturday. GAME 1 | No. 10 Oregon Tech 6, Eastern Oregon 1 Senior pitcher Lauren Spencer took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against the Owls, allowing two runs in the third and fifth inning despite no Owl hits. A leadoff walk came around to score for Oregon Tech in the third, while a two-out error in the fifth allowed OIT to add another. The Owls were able to break through in the sixth inning with three runs, including their first four hits to go ahead 5-0. The Mountaineers (13-32, 7-20 CCC) got their first run in the bottom of the sixth as senior Sarah Bonner drove home senior Brandi Bowling with an infield single to cut the deficit to 5-1. Cierra Barkis homered in the top of the seventh for OIT to extend the lead back to five runs. The Mountaineers had two, two-out singles in the bottom half, but were unable to score. EOU outhit the Owls 9-5 in the game, but Oregon Tech came up with timely hits and drew seven free passes in the game. Senior Rayne Spencer led the team with a 3-for-4 day, while six other Mounties tallied a hit. In the circle, Lauren Spencer threw a complete game for her final collegiate start. On the other side, Sarah Abramson won her 20th game of the year, striking out 11 EOU batters. GAME 2 | Eastern Oregon 7, No. 10 Oregon Tech 6 Despite not earning a berth in the Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament, the Mountaineers continued to battle in their final game of the season. Down 6-5 heading to the bottom of the seventh, the Blue and Gold strung together four-straight hits to score two runs to walk-off against the No. 10 Owls. Freshman Haley Ebner led off the inning with a solo home run to left field, even with high speed winds doing their best to knock the ball down. Bonner and Henley each followed up with singles, setting up Rothwell with runners on first and third and no outs. Rothwell wasted no time, lining the first pitch she saw over the second baseman's glove and into right field to send the seniors off with a victory to end their collegiate careers. Oregon Tech opened the game with four runs in the top of the first inning, looking as if they'd run away with the victory. The Mounties answered with two runs in the bottom of the first as Bowling singled home Spencer and then later scored on a ground out by Ebner. In the second, EOU continued to chip into OIT's lead as Spencer doubled home freshman Shelby Starr from first base. The Owls extended the lead back to two runs with a run in the top of the third, making the score 5-3. In the bottom of the fourth, however, EOU tied the game with back-to-back RBI singles by senior Madison Barr and Bowling. The pitchers held each lineup scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings until Oregon Tech went ahead 6-5 with a run in the top of the seventh, setting up Rothwell's walk-off in the bottom of the inning. Freshman Brianna Zweygardt threw her first career complete for EOU. After allowing four runs in the first, she settled down to allow just two more runs the rest of the way. Zweygardt struck out four batters and earned her first career win. Between the first and second games, the Mountaineers honored their eight seniors, playing their final games of their colleigate careers. EOU honored Rayne Spencer and Lauren Spencer, Barr, Bowling, DeFreitas, Bonner, Rothwell and Tayler Finch, whose season was cut short due to injury. The Blue and Gold will look to return to the CCC Championships when they hit the field in 2020. Oregon Tech will head to Ashland for the tournament as the No. 2-seed. For more information on Eastern Oregon softball, follow @EOUAthletics or visit eousports.com. FOLLOW EOU ATHLETICS Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Contact: Iain Dexter; 541-962-3946; idexter@eou.edu