Argos Drop Home-Opener to Defending National Champs
GREAT FALLS, Mont. – The University of Providence softball team lost both games of their home opener against the top seed in the nation on Friday. Southern Oregon, the defending national champions, won the first game 9-0 before defeating the Argos 15-8.
In the first game, the Raiders scored eight runs in the first two innings. The Argos managed to hold them to just one more run the remainder of the game, but the Argos couldn't generate any offense to get on the board.
The second game remained scoreless until the fourth inning, when Southern Oregon scored nine runs. The Argos responded with some offense of their own, scoring six runs. No runs were scored in the fifth inning, but the Raiders scored three runs in each of the two remaining innings to secure the 15-8 victory.
"Today we didn't play flawless," head coach Joey Egan said. "We won't beat a national championship team without playing flawless and error-free. The first game, we let them hit the short game on us. The second game we put up a hell of a fight until the fourth inning. In the fourth inning the wheels fell off. I couldn't be more proud that they didn't give up. They kept fighting until the end."
Egan was proud of how the team hit against the returning NAIA National Pitcher of the Year, Gabby Sandoval, and hopes it weill generate some momentum when they play the Raiders on Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
"They responded well with hitting," Egan said. "I don't think they realized how well they could hit off Gabby. We both had 16 hits that second game. I hope that that gives them that confidence that we can compete at that level. We need to be more hyped. We just need to compete."