LA GRANDE, Ore. – More close games against a top Cascade Conference team resulted in more losses for Lady Argo softball. After losing late leads in all four games against Southern Oregon the previous weekend, UGF dropped two 3-2 games to Eastern Oregon.
 
The problem wasn't the late innings this time, but instead the beginning of each game. Half of the runs UGF gave up in the double header came in the opening innings, including 2 runs to start Game 1.
 
UGF almost drew first blood. Junior Bailey Henderson singled to short as the game's second batter and made it all the way to third off a wild pitch and a fielding error. Despite having a runner at third with 1 out, the Lady Argos couldn't get the run to score, striking out and grounding out to lead two runners on base to start the game.
 
Eastern Oregon also left two on base in the bottom of the inning, but they brought in a runner first, on an RBI sac fly.
 
A leadoff walk from senior Hali Gruntowicz against set up UGF for a score, and this time the Lady Argos answered EOU's challenge. She advanced to second on a groundout by the next batter and then moved to third on a single from junior Gabrielle Canibeyaz. A strikeout from junior Makaylee Jaussi left shadows of the first inning hanging around the Lady Argos, but a single from senior Morgan Robinson erased the shadows and the EOU lead.
 
The 1-1 tie didn't last long, as the Mountaineers had a second straight 1-run inning this time by way of a throwing error by UGF's Jaussi.
 
That 2-1 score held steady for the next three innings and then with 2 outs in the top of the fifth inning, UGF junior Kylie Gonzales stepping to the plate. The power hitting third baseman knocked her third home run of the season over the centerfield fence to tie the game at 2-2.
 
Once again, however, EOU had an instant answer, and once again a UGF throwing error was involved. This time overthrow came from right field after a single that probably would have driving in a runner from second anyway. The run gave EOU a 3-2 lead that would stand for the rest of the game.
 
Redshirt-freshman Mikayla Deigan pitched five of six innings for UGF and only allowed 5 hits and 2 earned runs. If not for the unearned run in the second inning, the game could very well have gone into extra innings.
 
Game 2 had a similar start, although this time the Lady Argos did get the first score of the game. Henderson led off and struck out swinging but made it to first on a wild pitch. She moved to second on a walk of Gonzales and then made it home on a single to center from Gruntowicz to put UGF up 1-0.
 
Predictably, EOU not only tied it up but took a 2-1 lead by the end of the inning. This time senior Shelby Abeyta was in the pitching circle, but that didn't matter with another error leading to two unearned runs for the Mountaineers. The error came on a dropped fly to left field with 2 outs in the inning.
 
An RBI double from Henderson in the top of the second brought Canibeyaz home and tied the game up at 2-2.
 
The game stayed at a deadlock until the bottom of the fifth, where the Mountaineers hit 3 singles to take a 3-2 lead.
 
UGF had a good chance to again even the score in the top of the sixth. Jaussi started the inning with a walk and a single from senior Jocelyn Kaufman gave UGF runners on first and second with 1 out. The next two batters struck out for UGF and the game ended in another 3-2 loss.