The Owls came away with a 7-5 win over Concordia University in round one play at the NAIA Region I tournament.
No. 20 Oregon Tech Drops Concordia in Round 1 Region Play
KLAMATH FALLS, Oregon (May 8, 2008)—Oregon Tech moved through round one action with a 7-5 win over Cascade Conference foe Concordia University in game two of the NAIA Region I tournament.
The Owls scored on a two-run homerun by catcher Katie King in the bottom of the 1st inning to go up 2-0 early. Concordia tied the game at 2-2 in the third, but Tech was able to double the score, making it 4-2, on a Jenni Bittle RBI single followed by a Katie King RBI single, her third of the game.
In the top of the 5th, CCC Player of the Year Jenni Bittle, came in to relieve starter Keri Gesner and the CU batters rallied. Back-to-back singles and a 3-run homerun by the Cavaliers’ Janelle Cristifaro gave Concordia their first lead of the game at 5-4.
The Owls were able to answer in the home half of the 5th, when a two-out two-run single by Brittany Warren gave the lead back to Oregon Tech. Bittle shut down CU in the sixth, as Tech was then able to add an insurance run in their half to go up 7-5. In the 7th inning, Bittle was able to put CU away quietly to go on to win by the same score.
Oregon Tech pounded CU for 10 hits with Bittle, King and Chelsea McNeil all picking up two hits. Sunceray Titus, Amber Sinicrope, Warren and Andria Wheatley all had one hit for the Owls. Katie King drove in three runs while Warren drove in two. Jenni Bittle improved her overall record to 18-6 with the win.
CU’s Danielle Pulfrey was the losing pitcher, as she gave up seven runs with four earned, striking out three and walked none. CU’s Kari Mabe and Janelle Cristifaro each had two hits and two RBI in the loss.
Oregon Tech will now play College of Idaho at 4:00 p.m. while Concordia meets Simon Fraser in the loser out game at 1:30 p.m.