EUGENE, Ore. – The Northwest Christian University softball team, still in the hunt for a Cascade Conference tournament bid, took a split with Eastern Oregon on Friday as the teams opened up a four-game series at James Park.
 
Eastern took the opener, 3-0, while the Beacons responded with a 3-1 win in game two.
 
Emma Jegtvig (7-13) took the loss for NCU in the circle in the first game despite striking out nine Mountie batters and scattering five singles. Lauren Spencer (5-5) threw a complete-game shutout for EOU, striking out five and allowing just four runs.
 
Madison Barr led the Eastern offensive as she punched a two-run single in the top of the fifth inning to break open what had been a 1-0 game.
 
In game two, senior Madi Jones (1-1) took to the circle for the Beacons and she threw just her second career complete-game, striking out three batters and allowing eight hits. Jones kept the infield busy as Eastern managed to hit just two fly balls to the outfield and 15 batters grounded out without a single Beacon error.
 
Amanda Smith (4-12) took the loss for Eastern Oregon, giving up two earned runs on six hits over five innings.
 
Scoreless until the fourth inning, Eastern Oregon got on the board first as Jordan Henley hit an RBI single to bring home Haley Ebner.
 
The Beacons got all of their runs in the bottom of the fifth and all three came with two outs. Sophomore Anna Cardwell drilled a line drive over the left field wall for her first career home run to tie the game. That homer sparked an NCU rally as the Beacons next three batters all singled. The third was Jordan Kuykendall, whose single to right field was misplayed, allowing both runners ahead of her to score, giving NCU the 3-1 lead.
 
EOU did all they could in the top of the seventh to try and stay in the game. Sarah Bonner had a leadoff solo home run and Rayne Spencer had a double, but it wasn't enough to avoid the split. Those two hits ended up being the only fly balls allowed by Jones.
 
Spencer and Brandi Bowling finished the game with two hits apiece for Eastern. Tra Kucera went 2-for-3 to cap off a four-hit day for the Beacons.
 
The rubber match of the three-game conference set will start at 11:00 am on Saturday, to be followed by the non-conference game four. NCU will honor seniors Madi Jones and Jess Garner in a ceremony between games.