Mountaineers Sweep Argos on Senior Weekend, Score 23 Runs in Series Finale
EOU Sports Information
LA GRANDE, Ore. – Eastern Oregon University Softball played its final home series of the 2021 season on Friday and Saturday, April 23-24, as the Mountaineers played host to the University of Providence Argos. EOU also celebrated senior weekend and sent five seniors out in style as the team swept the series.
With the series sweep, the Mountaineers remain in the hunt for a spot in the Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament. At 16-26 overall and 10-14 in conference play, EOU is tied for fifth in the CCC with Warner Pacific. The Mountaineers currently own the tiebreaker over the Knights having won the head-to-head series 2-1 back in early March.
Day 1 – EOU 9, UP 1 (Game 1, 6 Inn.) | EOU 5, UP 4 (Game 2, 8 Inn.) | EOU 10, UP 2 (Game 3, 5 Inn.)
How it Happened
• Two of the three contests ended early thanks to the Mountaineers run-ruling the Argos (4-27, 4-20 CCC). The second game needed an extra inning to determine the winner as the two squads were deadlocked in a 3-all tie before EOU walked away on top by one run in walkoff fashion.
• Helping the Mountaineers take game one was multiple runs scored in three innings, including three in the third and sixth frames. The Argos managed to avoid the shutout scoring a run in the top of the sixth but were unable to avoid the run rule in the series opener.
• Jordan Henley got the bats going for the Mountaineers as she was responsible for the first three runs scored. She plated home Madison Stateler with a double in the first before hitting a two-run homer to left field to make it 3-0.
• The third run of the third came with the help of an Argos error that allowed Rhyanne Oates to score. The score grew to 6-0 in the fourth when Stateler singled to center field for two RBI and brought in Hailey Crudo and Kayla Berg.
• The lone run for UP came in the top of the sixth on a fielding error by the Mountaineers to make it a 6-1 game. EOU then tacked on three runs to end the contest in six. Amanda Smith hit an RBI single to score Tina Furtado to make it 7-1. EOU then loaded the bases and a throwing error by UP on a pickoff attempt allowed Alaina Wright and Smith to score to end the game at 9-1.
• Game two was a battle and needed an extra frame to determine the winner. Both teams hit a two-run homer in the sixth but it was the late game heroics of Shelby Starr that lifted EOU to the win.
• The Argos got on the board in the top of the first as they managed to score on a fielding error by the Mountaineers. EOU responded with a run in the bottom of the frame to tie it up at 1-all. It was Henley once again who had the answer with a double to left field to bring in Stateler.
• Defense was tough for teams over the next four innings as it remained deadlocked at a 1-1 tie until the sixth inning. Both squads scored a pair of runs and it was still anyone's game to win going into the seventh.
• The Argos led off the frame with a single up the middle before a two-run shot to right field gave them the lead back at 3-1. Henley got on base with a leadoff single to get things set up for Haley Ebner. On an 0-1 pitch, she swung for the fences and sent the ball past the left center field for a two-run score to tie the game at 3-all.
• UP retook the lead in the top of the eight as neither squad was able to plate a run in the seventh. EOU had a chance with a two-out bases loaded opportunity, but the Argos escaped the jam. An RBI single to shortstop scored the run for UP to make it a 4-3 game.
• Olivia Zufelt led off the bottom of the eighth with a single before UP forced two lineouts to left to potentially leave her stranded. Glori Cheevers was then walked to get on as the winning run. Starr was poised when she stepped to the plate and delivered a two RBI double to left on a 1-1 pitch to secure the 5-4 win for EOU.
• Game three saw EOU take down UP in five innings by a final score of 10-2. Helping the Mountaineers secure the win was four runs in the first and a pair of runs in the third, fourth, and fifth frames.
• An RBI single from Ebner scored Alaina Wright to make it 1-0 before a wild pitch by UP on a bases loaded situation allowed Henley to score and make it 2-0 Eastern lead. Cheevers then grounded out to first for the RBI and scored Ebner. The final run of the frame came when Makenzie Chambers singled to third to score Starr.
• Following a scoreless second inning, EOU tacked on it two runs in the third on the efforts of Berg. She knocked a double to deep left center to bring in Chambers and Cheevers for the score. EOU held a 6-0 lead, before a two-run homer from the Argos made it 6-2 game.
• Leading by just four going into the bottom of the fourth, EOU got both runs back in the frame to go back ahead by six. Ebner hit her second home run of the day in response to the Argos homer, like game two. She delivered a shot to left center on a 1-0 pitch to score herself and Henley.
• The first run for EOU in the fifth came on a sacrifice fly by Berg to bring in Chambers who led off with a triple. The Argos then loaded the bases before a walkoff walk brought in Stateler to end the game in five innings at 10-2.
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
• Haley Ebner hit two home runs, totaled five hits, had six RBI, and scored three runs in the day one sweep.
• Jordan Henley racked up four RBI while going 5-8 at the plate in three games. She hit one home run and scored four runs in the 3-0 sweep.
• Madison Stateler was a perfect 3-3 in game one with two RBI and two runs scored. In game two, she was 2-4 and scored a run.
• Shelby Starr was 1-3 in game two and had the gamewinning hit for two RBI.
• Kayla Berg was 1-2 in game three and totaled three RBI in the win.
• Makenzie Chambers went 3-3 in game three and scored two runs to go along with one RBI.
• Amanda Smith pitched a complete game one and fanned one batter in the win to go to 6-5.
• Mckenna Stallings picked up the game two win in a relief effort and was the winner in game three as the starter. She fanned two batters total for the day.
Day 2 – EOU 23, UP 4 (Game 4, 5 Inn.)
How it Happened
• Game four was all Mountaineers as they routed the Argos by 19 runs to send the senior class out with a bang. Prior to the game, seniors Jordan Henley, Madison Parker, Hailey Crudo, Glori Cheevers, and Ashton Kazmierski were all recognized.
• For the game, EOU racked up 19 hits and scored a combined 20 runs in two innings of work. The offensive barrage by the Mountaineers helped them score eight runs in the third and 12 in the fourth.
• In the first inning, EOU put up three runs to go ahead and they never looked back. Cheevers hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Taylor Dow to get things started for the Mountaineers. Olivia Zufelt made it a 3-0 lead with a two RBI double to score Haley Ebner and Henley.
• It remained 3-0 until the third as the Argos scored a run to make it a 3-1 contest on an RBI single down the first base line. EOU responded in the bottom of the frame scoring eight runs to jump ahead 11-1. A hit by pitch on Jacie Howton in a bases loaded situation scored the first run in Ebner.
• Following the hit by pitch, UP threw a wild pitch that scored Cheevers to make it a 5-1 contest. Crudo then singled to third to plate home Zufelt before an RBI groundout from Parker scored Howton to push the Mountaineers lead to 7-1.
• Following the Parker groundout, Dow singled to left center to score Crudo and make it 8-1. Ebner capped off the run with a three-run homer to right center field that scored herself along with Henley and Dow. EOU went into the fourth leading 11-1.
• The Argos looked to respond in the fourth and managed to get back within eight with two runs scored. A double to deep left field following an EOU error with two outs allowed a pair of unearned runs to come in and make it an 11-3 game.
• The Mountaineers 12-run fourth inning was one for the ages. Things started with EOU loading the bases with one out. Parker started the offensive onslaught with a single to score Howton and keep the bases loaded. Dow then singled as well to score Haley Tyree and once again kept the bases loaded.
• A wild pitch by the Argos allowed Crudo to score next and pushed the Mountaineers' lead to 14-3. Henley, who was at bat on the wild pitch, made it a 16-3 contest with a two RBI double to right center to score Dow and Parker. Amanda Smith came in to pinch hit and immediately hit a double to left and scored Henley to push the score to 17-3.
• Zufelt got on base with a single to right field and Smith advanced to third. Howton scored Smith on a single in the next at bat and was followed by a double from Tyree that plated home Zufelt. Leading 19-3 two runners were on for EOU in Tyree and Howton. Crudo was then walked and the bases were loaded.
• Parker, who had already been through as a batter, was next up to bat in what was an already explosive inning for the Mountaineers. She capped the run and scored the final runs for the Mountaineers in the best way possible with a grand slam to left center and brought the score to 23-3.
• The Argos managed to tack on a run in the top of the fifth but was too little too late as the Mountaineers secured the home finale win and sent out their five seniors with a win that they won't ever forget.
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
• Madison Parker was 2-3 with six RBI, a grand slam home run, and scored two runs.
• Jordan Henley went 3-4 with three runs scored and had two RBI.
• Haley Ebner was 1-2 at the plate with a home run and had three RBI.
• Both Taylor Dow and Olivia Zufelt tallied three hits and three RBI in the win.
• Ashton Kazmierski picked up the win in the circle and pitched a complete game. She struck out three batters in the contest.
By the Numbers
23 – The 23 runs scored in game four by EOU is the most in a single game this season.
1 – The grand slam home run by Madison Parker is the first homer of her career as a Mountaineer.
6 – The six EOU home runs against the Argos are the most in a series this season.
5 – The Mountaineers have now won each of their last five games.
Up Next
• The Mountaineers close out regular season play next weekend at Oregon Tech. EOU is set to take on the Hustlin' Owls in a four game series April 30-May 1.
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