PORTLAND | Runs were difficult to find this afternoon for the Warner Pacific University Softball team (5-21, 3-14), as they dropped the first two games of their conference series with the (RV) Eastern Oregon University Mountaineers (23-10, 12-4), losing the first game in five innings 0-11, and the second in a much closer contest that ended 2-4.
 
Game 1
 
The Knights offense was nonexistent in game one of today's matchup, as the visiting Mounties busted out of the first inning with four runs on three hits to take a commanding 4-0 lead, and never looked back thanks to a stellar performance in the circle from Mounties' starting pitcher Amanda Smith (11-3).
 
Eastern Oregon and Warner Pacific went back and forth shutting each other down for the next three and a half innings of play, before the Mountaineers blew this game wide open in the top of the fifth inning, scoring seven runs off seven hits to hold an 11 run lead going into the bottom half of what turned out to be the final inning of game one.
 
Thanks to some early gamer runs from her offense, Smith was able to settle in and make quick work of the Knights up and down the order for her first 4.1 innings of work, before the perfect game was broken up on an infield groundball that was beat out by senior first baseman Emma Foster thanks to an errant throw.
 
E. Foster may have reached via the error, but Smith allowed no further base runners to reach, as she secured the no-hitter two batters later in the bottom of the fifth, icing this contest 11-0 in favor of the Mounties.
 
Knights' sophomore starting pitcher Abby Carlson (3-10) took the loss by allowing 11 runs off 10 hits, walking three EOU batters and striking out a pair in her complete game 5.0 innings of work.
 
Smith completely shut down Warner Pacific, allowing no runs and no hits through 5.0 innings pitched, walking no batters while striking out six of the 15 that she faced.
 
The Mounties were led offensively by first baseman Haley Ebner, who slashed a pair of hits in three at-bats for four RBIs, while catcher Hannah Tyree found herself on base with two hits herself, knocking in a pair of RBIs and scoring a pair of runs in the process.
 
Game 2
 
Following a somber performance at the plate and the circle, the Knights needed to turn a complete 180 degrees if they had any hopes of pulling off the upset over the Top 25 vote receiving Mountaineers.
 
Carlson (3-11) started again in the circle for Head Coach Alex Flores and the Knights, but found her groove early to lock Warner Pacific and Eastern Oregon in a competitive game two contest.
 
Both the Knights and Mounties each collected a single hit in their opening 2.0 frames of offensive work, before EOU finally cracked through in the top of the third inning for a single earned run off the bat of shortstop Madison Stateler, who turned on a one-out pitch for a single to right centerfield, scoring second baseman Caitlin Crist in the process.
 
More productivity kept coming from the Knights in the bottom half of each inning, but they were consistently stymied each time baserunners found their way aboard.
 
After EOU added another run in the top of the fifth inning, and two more in the top of the sixth, WPU finally broke through for their first runs of the series in the bottom of the sixth, as E. Foster knocked a single through the infield gap to the left field grass, scoring freshman pinch runner Kassidie Bukoski from third base.
 
Warner Pacific came knocking on the door in their last ditch effort in the bottom of the seventh inning, as the game-tying run came to the plate twice, but both at-bats came up just short. Despite another run crossing the plate for WPU, a baserunning mishap caused the game to come to an end directly after plating their second run of the afternoon, and ending this game at 2-4, Mounties.
 
Knights' Carlson pitched a much more consistent game in the late afternoon contest for Warner Pacific, allowing just four runs on eight hits, while walking three batters and striking one out.
 
E. Foster found herself on base twice during game two, collecting two hits and an RBI for the only Knight to collect a multi-hit game today. Senior centerfielder Paityn Willoughby added a hit and an RBI in the come-from-behind bid that fell just short. Warner Pacific ended up outhitting the Mounties in game two, but were unable to get on base with runners in scoring position.
 
Mounties' starting pitcher McKenna Stallings (6-4) worked 5.0 innings today to pick up the win, allowing one run to cross the plate on seven hits, striking out five WPU hitters. Relief pitcher Kaylin Winans was able to shut the door on Warner Pacific for the final 2.0 innings of defense, allowing one run on two hits.
 
Stateler collected a single hit, run scored, and RBI for the Mounties in game two, while leftfielder Kayla Berg achieved the only multi-hit achievement for Eastern Oregon in game two with two hits and a run scored.
 
Warner Pacific Softball returns to action tomorrow morning, as they look to close out the weekend series with the Mountaineers at 11am and 1pm PDT, with the second game slated as the non-conference matchup. Admittance for the matinee games can be purchased at the gate upon arrival.