ASHLAND, Ore. – The Lady Argos are no longer undefeated in the Cascade Collegiate Conference playoffs but the team's championship hopes are still alive in the double-elimination tournament. UGF entered the day as one of two teams without a loss in the tournament and they played the other, Eastern Oregon University, losing 3-0.
 
Senior Keeley Van Blaricom (6) started her third game in two days inside the pitching circle but unlike the previous two games, didn't get the run support she needed.
 
Through the first three innings that matter all the much as Van Blaricom and EOU's Hailey Kline each held the other team scoreless. The Lady Argos had a good chance to change that in the top of the fourth, with senior Alex Lowry (14) leading off the inning with a double to right center.
 
The next two batters couldn't manage to get on base, however, and while junior Jackie Thomas (7) managed to reach first with a single, the location of the hit (short left) kept Lowry at second. One more UGF strike out finalized the stranding of Lowry at second and would soon prove even more costly.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Van Blaricom's arm, which to this point had thrown 13 innings in just over 24 hours, began show understandable fatigue.  After the Beacon's first hitter singled to right, the rest of the Eastern Oregon squad played effective small ball to work her around the bases. Her long journey home started with a pinch runner and a sacrifice bunt. A single then advanced the runner without adding an out and then a fielder's choice finally scored the game's first run.
 
After that inning, Van Blaricom was replaced by junior Shelby Abeyta (28) as UGF pitcher, but things didn't get any better for UGF. Eastern Oregon scored one run in each of the next two innings while the Lady Argo offense continued to be stumped by Kline.
 
The two fourth inning hits from Lowry and Thomas accounted for two thirds of UGF's hit total. The other came from senior Chloe Cross (3) who reached base safely to lead off the team for the third time in three playoff games.
 
In Van Blaricom's four innings, the senior allowed just four hits. In her three playoff games her ERA is 2.57, 3.00, and 2.25.
 
Had UGF won the game, they would not only have punched their ticket to the conference championship but would also have claimed one of the CCC's automatic qualifiers to the 2016 NAIA Softball Championship. As it is, the team still has a shot at both of those things, but will have to beat Southern Oregon University at NOON MST on Sunday, May 7 first.  If they win that game will make the championship round and once again face EOU.