Photo by Jeff Barrett
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The Eagles entered the final week of the season just two games above Southern Nevada for third place in the Scenic West Athletic Conference (SWAC). USUE traveled to Henderson, Nevada to take on the Coyotes and secure a top-three place in conference play.
USU Eastern got things started in the top of the fourth of game one with three runs on a Marissa Bowman double, an Ally Oyanguren double and a Skyler Lauver triple. CSN then answered with six-unanswered runs to take game one, 6-3. Emma Marchant got the start in the circle and was credited with the loss after throwing six innings. Marchant allowed six runs on eight hits and struck out nine Coyotes.
Game two was a game dominated end-to-end by CSN as the Eagles were shut down in a 20-0 loss. Sydney Smith was the starting pitcher for Eastern and lasted through just one out in the first inning as CSN scored five runs in her time in the circle. Oakley Giacoletto replaced Smith in the first and allowed eight runs on eight hits in just 1.2 innings of work. Malorie Luck was the third pitcher to appear in the game for Eastern as she tossed the final two innings. Luck allowed seven runs on eight hits and was also credited for four wild pitches. Eastern struggled to generate any offense in this game as just five hits were recorded for USUE.
Eastern was able to walk away with a 15-7 win in game three to secure the tiebreaker over CSN and clinch third place in the SWAC. Emma Marchant once again got the start in the circle for Eastern and threw the complete game. Marchant allowed seven runs on 10 hits and had just one strike out. The Eagles’ bats woke up in game three as they put up 15 runs on 13 hits. USUE quickly jumped to a 14-0 lead after 3.5 innings to put the game out of reach from the beginning. Marissa Bowman hit two home runs to anchor the Eastern offense. Mackenzie Wright led Eastern with three hits, including an RBI triple.
CSN would go on to win game four, 13-3, but it was too late as Eastern had already clinched the season series over the Coyotes. Madie Luck started the game in the circle for Eastern and lasted just 2.1 innings after allowed 12 runs, 10 earned, on seven hits and four walks. Sydney Smith came into the game in the third inning to replace Luck and finished off the game after allowing just one run on three hits. Eastern again struggled at the plate and mustered just five hits, two of which came from Ally Oyanguren. Oyanguren hit an RBI single and a solo home run.
The SWAC conference tournament will being on Wednesday, May 11 in Twin Falls, Idaho. Eastern, who finished the season with a 23-27 overall record, will take on Colorado Northwestern to set up a possible matchup with SLCC later Wednesday afternoon. First pitch between the Eagles and Spartans is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.