GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Lady Argo finally got back on track, using two huge fourth inning rallies to end an eight-game losing streak with a pair of 7-4 wins over Northwest University. UGF trailed early in both games, but scored 5 runs in the fourth inning of Game 1, and 6 runs in the fourth inning of Game 2.  
 
Both games saw the return of a concerning early season trend for UGF – giving up early runs. The Lady Argos give up at least 1 run in the first two inning of three of the team's first four games of the season, but the team also won each of those game. Somehow, falling behind early in both games against NU, brought the best out of UGF, particularly in avoiding the late inning missteps that cost them a number of games in conference play.
 
Innings one and two weren't the problem for UGF in Game 1, but the next two innings were. After striking out three out of four batters and allowing only 1 hit in the first two innings, junior pitcher Kristina George got into trouble in the top of the third.
 
She struck out her first foe of the inning, and following a single to left, forced a popup to third to come one out away from ending the inning. The next batter, however, knocked a 2-run shot over the left field fence and two more singles added a third run before George could get that third out.
 
Another home run for the Eagles in the next frame signaled the end of George's day in the pitching circle and brought in redshirt-freshman Mikayla Deigan. Deigan would go on to hold NU to 1 hit in 3.2 innings of work.
 
While Deigan was shutting down the Eagles, the Lady Argo's woke up the bats and made up all of the 4-0 deficit in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Making up the first run looked easy for junior Kylie Gonzales. The third baseman hit her fourth home run of the season to lead off the inning, sparking new life into the UGF dugout. Her teammates responded with 5 more hits, including 3 doubles, and 4 more runs. Every batter in the order came to the plate in the inning, and it only ended when Gonzales returned for a second time, this time flying out to left.
 
As big as that offensive rally was, an avoided disaster in the top of the fifth might have been just as big. Part of UGF's problem over the last few weeks has been allowing instant responses to any offensive surge. Two of Deigan's 3 walks and her 1 allowed hit all came in the top of the fifth, which loaded the bases with 2 outs. She managed to get out of the jam but forcing a popup to catcher Jocelyn Kaufman.
 
Kaufman then made her pitcher more comfortable with a 2-run home run of her own to center field.  That shot made the score 7-4 and Deigan didn't even need that much to close out the game and end UGF's losing streak.
Kaufman was the hero of the game, driving in 3 runs while score 2 of her own while going 2-3 from the plate with 1 HR and a 1 double.
 
UGF took an early lead of its own in Game 2, benefiting from an RBI single off the bat of senior Hali Gruntowicz, but that lead was short due to a series defensive miscues.
 
Senior pitcher Shelby Abeyta threw a wild pitch in the top of second, that didn't directly cost her a run, but it advanced a runner to third who scored on an ensuing sacrifice fly. In the next inning, a groundout to Abeyta, which brought a runner sliding into third, turned into an Eagle run on an afterthought throw from third base back to the pitcher that ended up on the ground.
 
Two more NU runs scored in the top of the fourth to put UGF down 4-1. That brought up the team's money inning, though, and the Lady Argos made the most of it.
 
Senior Jackie Thomas, freshman Hanna Tarum, and Kaufman all singled to load the bases with 1 out for Deigan who came in to pinch hit. The freshman struck out looking, however, and UGF was one out away from wasting a golden opportunity.
 
Senior Morgan Robinson, brought one runner home with a single to left, and another run scored when junior Bailey Henderson drew a walk. That left the bases still loaded for Gonzales who came through again, clearing the bases with a double to left field.
 
Gruntowicz reached first base safely on the next at bat and while she was tagged out trying to stretch the hit into a double, Gonzales crossed home first to extend the Lady Argo lead to 7-4.
 
Abeyta fell into a groove after that, allowing no hits and only walking one to earn her sixth win of year.
 
Thanks to their home runs, Gonzales and Kaufman jumped off the stat page, but it was the consistency of center fielder Morgan Robinson that was truly remarkable. Not only did the senior earn 6 putouts in center field, saving a slew of hits with great catches, but she also went 5-8 from the plate, scoring 3 runs, driving in 2 RBI, and hitting her second and third double of the season.
 
The two wins were crucial for UGF, not only to end the steak, but also to start the team's hopes of climbing back up the Cascade Collegiate Conference rankings. The Lady Argos started the day in ninth place in the CCC standings but leapt over NU and Northwest Christian to sit in seventh, one spot away from a playoff berth.
 
Next for UGF will be another doubleheader against Northwest, on Saturday, March 25 at 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. The first game will be a conference contest, with the second counting as a non-conference game.