Softball Recap: Springfield Comes Up Short

Springfield had lost 14 straight on the road dating back to last season, but on Friday they dropped their record down to 4-19 to make it 15. They fell 6-1 to the North Eugene Highlanders. Unfortunately, that's the third time they've come up short against the Highlanders this season, with their most recent defeat being a 15-0 loss on Friday.

Springfield saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Chloe Sankey, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base. Julianna Vasquez also deserves some recognition as she got her first hit of the season.

As for North Eugene, the win was the fifth in a row for them, bringing their record up to 13-10. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.8 runs over those games.

On North Eugene's side, Anabel Acosta made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. Those nine strikeouts gave Acosta a new career-high. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one double and one RBI.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Alexa Stiles, who went 2-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April of 2024.

We've got plenty of inter-league action coming up soon. Springfield will challenge rival Crater at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Meanwhile, North Eugene is set to face off against their familiar foe Eagle Point at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday.