Oregon Tech Earns NAIA West Split Versus No. 9 Lewis-Clark State
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Dylan Rogers doubled to lead off the seventh inning, and later scored to break a 6-6 tie, as Oregon Tech earned a split in NAIA West baseball action with a 7-6 win in game 2 today over No. 9 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho). The Warriors, behind two three-run homeruns from Braxton Miller, took the opener by an 11-6 final.
In game 1, Miller hit his first three-run blast to open up the scoring in the first inning, as LCSC led 3-0. The Warriors moved ahead 5-0 after adding two runs in the second inning.
Oregon Tech made it 5-2 after Zack Earle led off the second inning with a double, followed by a RBI double from Ryan Grant. Kory Locken added the Owls third double of the inning to drive in Grant.
Miller made it 8-2 with his second three-run shot of the game in the Warriors half of the fourth inning. LCSC moved out to an 11-2 advantage with a single run in the fifth and two more in the eighth inning.
The Owls mounted a comeback in their final at bat, adding four runs in the ninth inning.
Three-straight singles loaded the bases, with a Ryan Hayden sacrifice fly making it 11-3. Singles by Earle and Grant, along with a bases loaded walk by Kevin Shulemson, drove in a run each, but that would be it for Tech, as a strikeout ended the rally, as the Owls fell 11-6 in the opener.
Earle finished with three hits, including two doubles and a RBI to lead the Tech offense. Grant added two hits, including a double and two RBI, with Locken a double and RBI. Hayden and Shulemson added a RBI apiece in the loss.
Miller finished with three hits in the opener, all for extra bases, with two homeruns, a double and six RBI to lead the Warriors. Connor Moore and Bobby Tannehill finished with three hits each, both with a double and two RBI. Kevin McLeod added two hits in the win. Anthony Armonino improved to 7-1 on the mound after striking out 10 in eight innings of work.
Game 2 went back-and-forth before the Owls scored in the eighth inning to move up 7-6 and held on to earn the split.
Trailing 1-0 in game 2, Tech scored three runs in the second inning to take their first lead of the day.
Alex Reynolds walked with one out and Grant followed with a single. With runners on first and second, Locken reached on an error that would tie the game at 1-1. Matt Miller walked to load the bases with Shulemson earning a bases loaded walk to give the Owls a 2-1 lead. Hayden followed with a single; with Miller getting gunned down at the plate on the play, as the Owls took a 3-1 lead in the contest.
LCSC added a run in the third inning, but the Owls would get it back with a run in their half, as the Owls led 4-2 after three complete. Dylan Rogers walked and later scored on a Grant RBI single to keep the two run cushion.
A single run in the fourth, along with a three run fifth gave the visiting Warriors a 6-4 advantage, before the Owls would mount a comeback bid.
Oregon Tech would tie the game at 6-6 with a pair of runs in the fifth inning.
Hayden led off the fifth with a single to right field, followed by a walk to Rogers. Earle next loaded the bases with a bunt single. Alex Reynolds then made it 6-5 on a ground ball RBI, while Grant lifted a fly ball to right field to tie the game at 6-6.
Tech’s Craig Kathol, in for relief of Brandon Allen who went the first five innings, took the mound for the next three and kept the LCSC bats quiet heading into the bottom half of the seventh inning where the Owls took a one run lead.
Rogers led off the inning with a double off the center field wall. Earle sacrificed Woods, pinch running for Rogers, to third with one out. With two outs, a Warrior error would prove costly, as Woods scored, what would be the winning run, on a Grant ground ball the Warrior second baseman mishandled, that gave the Owls a 7-6 advantage after seven complete.
Kathol, earning his first win of the season, finished up the eighth inning, allowing no Warrior hits in three innings of work, while Earle came in in the ninth with a 7-6 lead. Earle would put down the first three Warrior hitters in order to pick up his first save of the season, as the Owls split the doubleheader with a 7-6 win in game 2.
Grant finished game 2 with two hits and two RBI, with Hayden adding two hits and driving in one run. Rogers added a double and Earle a single, with Shulemson and Reynolds recording a RBI each in the win for the Owls.
For the Warriors, Jordan Payne and Miller recorded two hits, including a double and RBI each. Mitchell Wilhite doubled in the Warrior loss.
The teams will conclude a four-game series with a single nine inning contest beginning at 11 a.m. on Monday at Kiger Stadium.