GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Argo softball (7-17) notched their first series win on the season with a game three victory over the Northwest Eagles (10-22) but fell in the series finale in an 8-6 extra inning heartbreaker on Saturday.
 
GAME ONE – University of Providence 11 – Northwest University 4
How it Happened: The Argos blasted the Eagles with a huge 11-run opening inning that the Northwest Eagles could not overcome. Following a lead-off walk, a sacrifice ground-out moved Skyla Nuebauer from one corner to the other before Karlie Southworth would knock one out with a two-out 2-RBI home run to give the Argos a 2-0 advantage. A pair of singles and a fielder's choice and error would load the bases for the Argos before another walk would put the Argos up by three. The Eagles would make a pitching change to stop the bleeding, but the Argos kept things going. Samantha Hernandez would connect on a two-out 2-RBI single to push the Argos lead to five and leaving one on base, 5-0. Another walk would load the bases for the Argos once again. Hannah VanDomelen smashed a two-out 3-RBI double to clear the bases and get into scoring position herself. After striking out earlier in the inning, Hanna Tarum reached on an Eagle error, moving VanDomelen to third. Southworth got her second shot of the inning, connecting on an RBI-double to put the Argos lead at nine, 9-0. Taylor Mathews would follow Southworth up with a double of her own to clear the bases one final time in the first and give the Argos a double-digit advantage, 11-0. The Eagles would get two on base in the second with a walk and a single before an error would put them both across, 11-2. The Eagles would get another runner in scoring position before an RBI-single would plate the Eagles third run of the game, 11-3. Northwest would lead-off the top of the fourth with a solo homer to bring the deficit down to seven, 11-4, but that was as close as they would get as the Argos would only allow one final hit before taking the 11-4 victory.
 
At the Plate: Southworth and VanDomelen led the Argos' at-bats. Southworth went 2-for-4 and VanDomelen batted 1-for-3, garnering three RBIs each. Hernandez and Mathews knocked in a pair of runners each, going 2-for-3 and 2-for-4, respectively. Karsten Williams earned the Argos other RBI on a walk.
 
In the Circle: VanDomelen (5-6) tallied the victory for the Argos, allowing four runs on six hits over five innings pitched. She would also tally a pair of strikeouts in the contest. Brieanna Clifford closed out the game for the Argos, shutting down the Eagles over the final two innings and putting out three batters.
 
GAME TWO – University of Providence 6 – Northwest University 8
How it Happened: The Argos started off hot yet again as they would put runs on the board first. Following a pair of singles, Southworth knocked an RBI-double to put across the Argos' first runner. A sacrifice fly would bring Staats home to give the Argos a two-point advantage, before a two-out RBI-single brought Southworth home to close out the inning with Argos on top, 3-0. The Eagles loaded the bases to open the second inning, before connecting on a one-out 2-RBI single to cut the deficit back to one, 3-2. The Argos came up empty handed in the second, but a lead-off solo home run from Southworth would push the Argos lead back to two, 4-2. Both squads were at a standstill through the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings as the Argos maintained their two-point advantage. However, the Eagles found some success in the seventh. Northwest collected a lead-off walk, before connecting on a single to advance to scoring position and then knocked a 2-RBI double to tie things up at four a piece, 4-4. The Argos put one on base in the bottom of the seventh, but they couldn't muster a run as the game would head to extras. The eight remained scoreless on both sides, but the Eagles struck first in the ninth. The Eagles loaded the bases with two singles and an Argo error, before an RBI-single would give the Eagles their first lead of the contest, 5-4. Two more came across on a fielder's choice that was missed to push the Eagles lead to 7-4. A wild pitch put plate one more run to put Northwest up 8-4. The Argos tallied a walk before a Mathews RBI-double would bring the deficit to three, 8-5. A two-out walk and a wild pitch would put a runner on third, but a second wild pitch would bring Mathews home and cut the deficit to two, 8-6. The Argos comeback came up slightly short as the Eagles would tally the final out to claim the 8-6 victory.
 
At the Plate: Southworth went 2-for-4, tallying a team-high two RBI and touching home twice herself. Mathews went 2-for-5 with a pair of runs and an RBI, while teammate Hernandez knocked in the other run for the Argos, going 1-for-4 in the contest.
 
In the Circle: Clifford (1-7) took the loss for the Argos pitching three innings, allowing four runs on three hits. Khalyn Hageness closed things out for the Argos, allowing four runs on seven hits over six innings pitched. Both pitchers for the Argos notched four strikeouts in the contest.
 
Up Next
The Argos will hit the road again as they travel back to the Beaver State to take on Eastern Oregon on April 12 and 13 and Southern Oregon on April 19 and 20.