The Snow College softball team was swept by the Utah State Eastern Eagles in four games in Price over the weekend.
The Badgers came into the weekend of play following a series sweep against the College of Southern Idaho last weekend in Ephraim. Snow College had split two games apiece against the Golden Eagles in Twin Falls March 27-28. Last weekend, however, the Badgers came up empty handed as they suffered four consecutive defeats. CSI soared past Snow College 9-0 and 8-3 in Friday's matchups, and 8-7 and 13-9 Saturday.
Snow College turned its attention to USUE for a four-game series. Game one of the series would prove to be the highest-scoring game of the stand. USUE got off to a hot start as the squad combined for nine runs within the first three frames. Snow College, on the other hand, scored three runs. A single from Kaylee Lyman brought in August Cowan and Hadlee Walker in the second inning, and a sacrifice fly from Walker brought in Bailey Bowers in the third.
Both teams would earn two runs through the fourth and fifth inning, bringing the score to 11-5 for the Eagles. A Tasia Shibuya single plated two runs which was followed by a 3-run homer by Bowers to bring the Badgers back within 1. Cowan later sent a solo shot which tied the game at 11. USUE, however, rallied for eight runs in the bottom of the sixth to take game one.
The second game of Friday's doubleheader would be a tightly-contested matchup as the teams battled back and forth. Snow College was first to strike as the team earned two runs in the first inning thanks to singles from Lyman and Cowan. Through the next several innings, however, the Eagles and Badgers exchanged runs, leading to a score of 5-5 entering the fifth frame.
Within the next three innings, Snow College earned just one run while USUE combined for five. This ultimately pushed the team to a 10-6 win as it came out victorious in Friday's doubleheader.
Despite being behind two runs entering the sixth inning of game three of the series, the Badgers rallied to tie the game at six. After a scoreless seventh frame from both squads, the teams prepared to enter extra innings. In the eighth inning, Snow College scored one run, but USUE responded with two in the bottom of the inning, leading it to a 8-7 victory.
Game three saw the Eagles combine for 15 hits while the Badgers fared only six. Those hits included doubles from McCall Maxfield, Andrea Sweat, and Bowers, while Lyman launched her seventh home run of the season.
The final game of the series followed the same nail-biting pattern as the earlier matchups. After several innings of trading runs, Snow College and USUE were tied at four entering the fourth inning. In the fourth frame, the Badgers earned four runs on two hits thanks to singles from Walker and Kaitlyn Slade. Immediately following, however, the Eagles responded with four runs of their own, again tying the game at eight.
Through the next three innings, USUE scored one run while holding Snow College scoreless. This ultimately led to a final Eagle's victory as they squeezed past the Badgers 9-8. The Badgers will look to exact revenge against USUE as they will host the Eagles in their final series of the season May 8-9.
Snow College was led in hitting over the weekend by Maxfield who finished with six hits in fifteen at bats. Bowers, who contributed two doubles and a home run, led the team in RBIs as she finished with a total of five.
The 16-19 Badgers will now prepare to face the 20-19 College of Southern Nevada Coyotes in Las Vegas this weekend. In their series earlier this season in Ephraim, Snow College and CSN split two doubleheaders as each team walked away with two victories.
Friday's games are scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. while Saturday's matchups are set for 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. MST. For video streaming and live stat information, visit snowbadgers.com.
