Box Score ASHLAND, Ore. -- The Vanguard softball will be playing its first elimination game later on Tuesday after the opening game of the day against Reinhardt went the wrong way for VU.  The Lions outhit the Eagles and had chances to score, but could not get a runner across the plate.  The Eagles got a runner on base in the bottom of the eighth and the lone error of the afternoon on a play at first allowed RU to walk off the game and win 1-0.  VU will await the winner of Southern Oregon and Southeastern and play that team at 4:00 p.m.
 
What Happened?  Brianna Williams dueled well against Whitney Shepherd, as the two did not allow a run in regulation.  Williams had four flawless innings in the bag before RU got a hit.  The defense backed her up in the fifth, as an Eagle tried to steal second.  The throw went into center field but Noni Chaves was there to back up the toss, and she proceeded to make an on-target throw to third to get the runner out and end the inning.
 
Bianca Morales, Mackenzie Hofmann, and Marissa Gurrola all got one-out singles to load up the bases, but the Blue and Gold could not bring home a run.  Still, VU showed some fortitude as the Eagles got their first two hitters aboard in the bottom half.  The next batter tried a bunt but then ran into the ball and was called out for interference.  A strikeout and a ground out ended the danger and the 0-0 game moved to the seventh.
 
The Eagles got a two-out hit in the bottom of the frame, but another ground out moved things to the eighth.  Hofmann had a double with two outs in the top of the inning but a hard-hit ball by Gurrola toward right was robbed by the Eagle second baseman.
 
The bottom of the eighth saw a leadoff walk, but Morales made a catch on a bunt that was popped into the air for out number one and another pop up landed in the glove of Emma Noble for out number two.  The runner on first was able to steal second which proved to be the difference.  The next hitter hit a grounder and the throw hit the dirt, going just under the glove of Morales and to the fence, allowing the lead Eagle to round third and score to end the contest.
 
The Eagles were outplayed for most of the game, as the lineup had only four hits and left three runners on base throughout the game.  VU had nine hits but left nine runners on base. Williams drops to 16-12 and rang up five hitters during the game in a high-quality performance.  Shepherd goes to 19-4 and fanned two VU batters.
 
Morales, Hofmann, and Gurrola each had two hits, with Ashley Klopfenstein, Kaylie Williams, and Tiffany Pope getting the other three.