Tech's Ryson Mauricio Had 6 Hits including 4 Doubles to Lead OIT in Sweep of Patten (Photo by Kelly Caleb)
Oregon Tech's Record-Setting Season Continues in Sweep of Patten, 9-1 and 16-8
Oregon Tech’s record setting baseball season got a little better Saturday as the Hustlin’ Owls opened their final homestand of the season with a sweep over Patten University, winning, 9-1 and 16-8.
OIT, which will take a 31-22 record into the final home games of the year when the two teams meet again at Kiger Stadium at 11 a.m. Sunday. Patten fell to 15-24 on the season. Saturday, Neil Emerson pitched a six-hitter in the opener, one in which the Hustlin’ Owls took a 9-0 lead.
Kory Locken had three hits for OIT, while Trent Smith, Zach Earle and Ryson Mauricio all had two. Mauricio had two doubles, which allowed him to pass Earle for the team lead, and the 17 doubles he has this season now is the OIT record. Mauricio came back with four hits in the nighcap, including two more doubles, and that pushed his hit total to 73 for the season, also a record. He broke his own mark of 69 set last season. Mauricio’s three second-game RBI also set a record. He now has 59 RBI this season, three more than the old record he shared with Ryan Wilson.
Nick Staller also had two OIT doubles in the nightcap, while Quinn Hummel also had three RBI. Locken had four hits in the nightcap, while Smith, Lee Eklund, Mitchell Crim and Staller all had two in the game in which had to hold off numerous Patten rallies which kept the Oakland, Calif., team close until the Owls scored four times in the seventh inning to take a 15-8 lead. OIT will take a 23-7 league record into Sunday’s doubleheader, and Patten is 13-15.
The Hustlin’ Owls will head to the NAIA West playoffs next weekend in Vancouver, British Columbia. UBC won the North Division title, and OIT the South. The College of Idaho and Cal State-San Marcos are expected to complete the tournament field.