OKLAHOMA CITY – No. 15 Mountaineers Softball had a big bounce back on day two of the Opening Round of the NAIA National Championships, going 2-0 to avoid elimination. Eastern Oregon took down William Woods, 8-4, and No. 22 Texas A&M-Texarkana, 6-0, to advance to the finals on Wednesday.
Along with the 2-0 day, the Mounties also made history as the two victories improved the team's overall record to 43-16. The 43 wins is now the most in a single season in program history, surpassing the 1999 squad that went 41-11. The Mounties are now just two wins away from making it to the NAIA Softball World Series.
Game 1 – No. 15 Eastern Oregon 8, William Woods 4
How it Happened
• In the first elimination game, the Mounties battled back from a 4-0 deficit to win by four, 8-4. In the win, Eastern held William Woods (23-25) scoreless over the final four frames of work.
• Playing a big role in the win for EOU was a five-run fifth inning that put the team ahead for good. Along with that, reliever
Abby Giles was stout in the circle in the final 4.1 innings.
• The Owls grabbed the game's first lead in the top of the first. A one-out walk got a runner on before a deep RBI single to left center made it a 1-0 game early on.
• Defensively, WWU held EOU scoreless through the first two innings and led 1-0 entering the third. Starter
Amanda Smith worked a 1-2-3 frame in the second to keep the Owls at bay.
• In the third, Smith managed two quick outs before the Owls ripped off four straight hits. The two-out surge plated three runs before EOU ended the inning.
• Despite being down 4-0, the Mounties held composure and ultimately held the Owls scoreless the rest of the way. EOU's scoring surge started in the third with a big answer from
Madison Stateler.
• In the bottom of the third, Stateler stepped to the plate and delivered a leadoff home run to left field. It was the lone run of the frame for Eastern but got them within three, 4-1.
• Giles worked a 1-2-3 outing in the fourth to get the bats back out quickly for EOU. The team then scored two runs to cut the deficit to just one run, 4-3.
• In the bottom of the fourth, EOU loaded the bases and scored a pair of runs on four hits. Plating the two runs was
Hannah Tyree who hit a two RBI double to left field.
• Tyree's timely hit scored
Shelby Starr and
Olivia Zufelt. In the top of the fifth, WWU managed to get a hit but made nothing of it.
• For the Mounties in the bottom of the fifth, they tacked on their final five hits on five hits. All five runs were earned as well.
• A
Taylor Dow single, a
Grace Gaither double and
Kayla Berg walk quickly loaded the bases for EOU. Zufelt then knocked a two RBI single to center to give Eastern its first lead at 5-4.
• On the ensuing at bat, after WWU pitching change, EOU quickly made it a 6-4 lead. Starr hit an RBI single to left, scoring Berg.
• Two batters later Stateler once again delivered. She hit a deep two RBI single to left field, scoring both Starr and Zufelt. The bases clearing hit brought the score to its final of 8-4.
• The Owls managed to get a hit in each of the final two frames, but made nothing of either chance. Giles and the defense held strong as EOU eliminated WWU.
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
•
Madison Stateler hit 2-4 with three RBI and scored one run in the win.
•
Olivia Zufelt batted a clean 2-2 with two runs scored and two RBI.
•
Shelby Starr was 2-2 as well with an RBI and two runs scored.
•
Hannah Tyree tallied two RBI and batted 1-3.
• Both
Taylor Dow and
Grace Gaither had a hit and scored a run.
•
Abby Giles pitched 4.1 innings in the win and did not allow a run to improve to 8-2.
For the Owls
• Alexis Hassler batted 2-4 with two RBI and scored one run.
• Arianna Donovan was 2-3 with two RBI.
• Mia Santos went 2-3 at the plate and scored one run.
• Celeste Sermeno hit 2-4 and scored two runs.
• Sarah Randermann (12-9) pitched 4.1 innings and had three strikeouts in the loss.
Game 2 – No. 15 Eastern Oregon 6, No. 22 Texas A&M-Texarkana 0
How it Happened
• The Mounties left no doubt in the second elimination game as they shutout the Eagles to advance to day three.
Mckenna Stallings earned the shutout in a stout performance in the circle.
• The bats for Eastern also had a solid performance with over a baker's dozen hits at 13. EOU also had a clean game with no errors, while TAMUT committed two and totaled eight hits.
• The game was a defensive battle with neither team scoring through the first four innings. EOU then exploded for four runs in the fifth to grab the lead.
• In the fifth, the Mounties tallied four runs on four hits and scored the first three with one out. EOU loaded the bases and
Olivia Zufelt delivered a single to right center, scoring
Shelby Starr.
•
Grace Gaither made it a 3-0 in the following at bat with a two RBI single to right center, which scored
Natalee Hall and
Caitlin Crist.
Kayla Berg made it 4-0 on a groundout, scoring Zufelt.
• The Eagles threatened in the bottom of the frame with three hits, but made nothing of it. Stallings and the defense got two fielder's choices and a fly out to stay in front by four.
• In the sixth, EOU scored two more runs to secure the six-run win. Starr knocked a one-out double and was quickly scored on a Crist RBI triple to right center.
• Tacking on the final run was
Madison Stateler. She laid down a bunt single to bring in Crist as the Mounties walked away with their second win.
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
•
Caitlin Crist racked up three hits in four at bats with one RBI and two runs scored.
•
Grace Gaither was 2-4 with two RBI in the win.
•
Madison Stateler went 1-3 at the plate and tallied one RBI.
•
Olivia Zufelt batted 1-2 with an RBI and a run scored.
•
Mckenna Stallings pitched a complete game shutout with one strikeout to improve to 11-4.
For the Eagles
• Katie Slamer had the only multi-hit performance, going 2-4.
• Alyssa Gillen had one hit and drew a pair of walks.
• Anna Westberry (24-6) pitched four complete and in the loss.
• Dorrie Cormier had a game-high two strikeouts in 1.2 innings pitched.
By the Numbers
43 - The Mounties' 43 wins is now the most in a single season in program history.
1 -
Mckenna Stallings pitched her first career shutout in the game two win.
3 - EOU had combined three strikeouts in its 2-0 day.
0 - Eastern has not allowed a home run in three games in the NAIA Opening Round.
3 - The Mounties tallied three stolen bases in the win over TAMUT.
Up Next
• The Mountaineers will face No. 2-ranked and top-seeded Oklahoma City University in the Opening Round Championship. EOU must win two games to advance to the NAIA World Series. Game one is set for a 9 a.m. PT/11 a.m. CT start. If EOU wins, the winner take-all game will follow at 11 a.m. PT/1 p.m. CT.
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