Owls Move to 9-1 in NAIA West Region Play
Klamath Falls, Ore. – Oregon Tech’s Josh Strom pitched a complete game win in game one and the Owls held off a Concordia rally in game two, taking both games of a doubleheader today at Kiger Stadium in Klamath Falls 7-4 and 10-7.
Oregon Tech pounded out 25 hits, including five doubles and a homerun in game one to improve to 15-9 on the season and 9-1 in NAIA West Region play. Concordia drops to 7-12 overall and 2-7 in the West Region North Division standings.
Concordia jumped out to a quick 3-0 start in the first inning on a Tommy Whalen three-run homerun to start the scoring.
The Owls answered in the bottom of the first with a Ryson Mauricio solo shot to make it 3-1. In the second inning, it was Tech’s Lee Eklund singling in Cory Spires, who reached on a single earlier in the frame, to cut the Owl deficit to 3-2.
Oregon Tech would finally take their first lead of the game in the fifth. A wild pitch scored Ryan Smith, who earlier doubled off the right field wall, to tie the game at 3-3. Kory Locken then doubled and scored on a Zach Earle RBI double to go ahead 4-3.
The Owls then plated three runs in the sixth to take a 7-3 lead. Eklund led off the inning with a double and scored on a Trent Smith RBI double. Smith would score on a Ryan Smith fielder’s choice, with the last Owl run crossing on a RBI single by Kory Locken.
CU would rally in the seventh. A walk and single put runners on first and second with one out. With two outs, Ben Lanier singled and drove in a run, to cut the Owl lead to 7-4. Jimmy Rudig then hit a deep fly ball to right center that looked to keep the rally alive, but it was Tech’s Kory Locken making a heroic diving back hand grab to secure the Owl victory, 7-4.
The Owls started the scoring in game two, jumping to a quick 2-0 lead after the first inning of action.
Concordia scored a single run in the second and two in fourth to take a 3-2 lead.
An Owl six run fifth inning gave Tech an 8-3 cushion. Zach Earle singled with the bases loaded that scored two. Back-to-back RBI doubles by Ryson Mauricio and Quinn Hummel plated two more runs, and an RBI single by Cory Spires added another run. Tech’s Mitch Crim led the sixth off with a double. A Locken RBI single, which proved to be the game winner, pushed the lead to 9-3.
Concordia added two runs in the seventh to cut the Owl lead to 9-5. The Owls doubled the score, 10-5, with a single run in the bottom half of the inning.
CU added two runs in the eighth to again cut into the Owl lead, 10-7. Oregon Tech then surrendered an unearned run in the ninth, but held on to win 10-8 in the nightcap.
Josh Strom struck out five batters and scattered eight hits in game one to improve to 4-2 on the season. Dylan Bedortha, pitching in relief in game two, picked up his first collegiate victory to move to 1-0 on the year. Cory Stratton picked up save number four for the Owls.
Mitch Crim finished with four hits on the afternoon, including a double. Locken, Eklund and Hummel had three hits apiece, while Locken drove in three runs and Eklund and Hummel two runs each. Mauricio hit Tech’s only homerun and added a double and two RBI. Earle finished with two doubles, two runs and drove in a run. Spires was 2-3 in the nightcap with a double and two RBI.
The Owls will conclude their four-game series with Concordia on Sunday, March 15th when the team’s meet at Kiger Stadium at 11:00 am.