LA GRANDE, Ore. - The Carroll College Softball team played the nation's No. 11-ranked team, Eastern Oregon, to a split in the first two games of their weekend series at Peggy Anderson Field on Friday afternoon.

The Fighting Saints (14-16, 9-9) picked up a game on the field on Friday afternoon, handing the CCC-leading Mountaineers (22-5, 18-2) just their second conference loss of the season, before coming up just short of a comeback win in the night cap.

GAME ONE: Carroll - 7, No. 11 EOU - 1

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After a sketchy bottom half of the opening frame, the Saints took complete control in an impressive 7-1 victory to open the weekend series in La Grande.

A pair of walks and a double gave the Mountaineers a very early bases-loaded situation, putting Kennedy Venner (Billings, Mont. / JR) in a quick jam. The junior wouldn't escape unharmed, as one pitch would get away from her and catch an EOU batter on the leg to plate the Mounties' only run of the game. 

Kenna Thomas (Belgrade, Mont. / SR) was hit by a pitch on the very next at-bat for the Saints. Carlee Smith (Blackfoot, Idaho / SO) evened the game up with an RBI single through the left side following a sac-bunt that moved Thomas into scoring position, tying things up at 1-1 through two innings.

Following a leadoff single by Liz Ybarra (Fullerton, Calif. / SR) in the third, Sammie Labrum (Kalispell, Mont. / JR) gave the Saints a big spark with a two-run home run into right center field. Labrum's first long ball of the season would give Carroll a 3-1 lead, and all the game's momentum.

A Taylor Sayers (Helena, Mont. / FR) leadoff single in the fourth would be cashed in just a few batters later as Ybarra came up with an RBI single up the middle. Labrum continued her hot day at the dish, lining a sharp ball into centerfield for another two RBI, and the Saints would hold a commanding 6-1 lead heading into the final three innings.

Carlee Smith grabbed her second RBI of the afternoon in the sixth inning, tacking one more insurance run onto the board to help seal the deal on Carroll's third ranked-win of the season.

After the early struggles, Venner returned to form, tossing yet another gem in the complete game win. Venner allowed just one three hits, striking out four in her ninth win of the season.

Five different Saints (Ybarra, Labrum, Smith, Thomas, Sayers) finished with at least two hits in the opener, with Labrum leading the charge with her 3-4 effort with four RBI.

GAME TWO: Carroll - 5, No. 11 EOU - 6

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A potent Mountaineer offense came to life in the second game, and the No. 11-ranked, CCC-leaders held-off a strong Carroll comeback attempt to even the series in the night cap.

Hannah Tyree provided the first big hit of the day for EOU in the home half of the first. Her two RBI single gave the Mounties a quick 2-0 lead before Emily Barry brought her home with an RBI single into center.

Carroll's response came from the bat of freshman Brynn Notbohm (Miles City, Mont. / FR), who plated two with a single up the middle. Sayers helped Carroll knot things up at 3-3 in the third inning, adding an RBI to her tally on a fielder's choice.

Eastern Oregon would again take a two-run lead in the bottom half of the third inning, however. Madison Olson scored one with an RBI single to third base before Hope Burke tacked on the Mounties' fifth run of the game with an RBI double down the line in right.

A bases-loaded error would get Carroll back within one run in the fourth frame, but a Raygun Klippert RBI single in the fifth would once again extend the EOU lead back to two, at 6-4 heading into the sixth.

The Saints got the Mountaineers into a peculiar position in the sixth, loading up the bases again ahead of an Ella Seaman (Belgrade, Mont. / FR) walk, making things 6-5. A liner to third base would end the scoring opportunity on the next at-bat, however, and the Carroll comeback bid would ultimately come up one run short.

Liz Ybarra posted her second multi-hit game of the day, finishing 2-5. Ellie Koerber (Billings, Mont. / SR) was the lone other Saint with two hits in the second game, finishing 2-5 as well.

The teams will return to Peggy Anderson Field tomorrow at 12 p.m. (MDT) for the CCC rubber match, with a non-conference final game of the series scheduled in the afternoon as well.

Visit www.carrollathletics.com for a recap of the action, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carrroll Athletics.

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