Oregon Tech's Sara Coates helped the Owls to a sweep after driving in five runs, including a pair of two-run homeruns in a 14-6 win in game 2.
No. 6 Oregon Tech Powers Past No. 20 College of Idaho
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Sixth-ranked Oregon Tech used a four-run fifth inning to earn a 5-3 win in game 1, while a six-run fifth inning in the nightcap secured a 14-6 victory, as the Owls used six homeruns on the day to sweep a crucial Cascade Conference doubleheader from No. 20 College of Idaho this afternoon.
Oregon Tech moves to 26-4 overall and 9-1 in the CCC standings. College of Idaho dropped to 23-9 on the year and 6-6 in the conference standings.
Taylor Schmidt, earning both wins on the day, improved to 14-2 overall after allowing seven hits and three earned runs in game 1, and going the final 2.1 innings of game 2.
Oregon Tech recorded just five hits in the opener, but four Yote miscues proved costly. Scoreless heading into the bottom of the third inning, Shauna Collins doubled with one out and later scored on an error, as the Owls moved up 1-0.
A four-run fifth inning, highlighted by a three run blast off the bat of senior Janelle Cromie, put the Owls up 5-0. A leadoff walk followed by an Ashleigh Larson double put runners on second and third, while a Jess Plummer ground out made it 2-0 and Cromie’s homerun capping the scoring in the inning.
A one out single to center field in the Yotes last at bat, followed by a walk, put runners on first and second. With two outs Hannah Johnson then closed the C of I deficit to two runs after she homered to center to make it a 5-3 game. Schmidt then got the next batter to fly out to end the game, as the Owls took the opener by the same 5-3 score.
Oregon Tech recorded five hits in game 1, including three for extra bases. Collins and Larson doubled, while Cromie drove in three on her sixth homerun of the season.
Nikki Shumway and Hannah Johnson led the C of I attack with a pair of hits in the opening game. Johnson’s three RBI came on her first homerun of the year. Nickayla Skinner dropped to 11-2 in the circle, allowing five hits and three earned runs.
Leading 5-0 after three complete in the nightcap, the Owls looked to be cruising to a sweep. College of Idaho, however, rallied for six runs in their fourth inning to take their first lead of the day.
Tech moved up 2-0 after Sara Coates singled and Amber Knight followed with a homerun.
Back-to-back singles from Larson and Plummer led off the third inning, while a throwing error put the Owls up 3-0. Coates singled in Tech’s fourth run, while Kayde Schafer made it 5-0 on a single to center field.
C of I’s six run fourth inning started with a Skinner leadoff double. An infield single followed by a RBI double from Kristen Haugen plated the Yotes’ first run. Kaci Baldwin, meanwhile, made it 3-0 after a two-run single, while Johnson hit her second homerun of the day to take a 6-5 lead heading into the fifth inning.
Back-to-back-to-back two-run homeruns for the Owls in the fifth inning, however, put the home team back in control as the Owls regained an 11-6 lead. Coates connected for her fifth of the year, while Knight hit her second long ball of the game and Larson her third of the season.
Holding the visitors scoreless in the sixth, the Owls used a Coates two-run homerun, her second of the game, along with a Collins RBI single to move up 14-6, ending game 2 by the 8-run rule.
Sara Coates finished the final game 4-for-4 at the plate with five RBI, including a pair of two-run homeruns. Amber Knight recorded three hits, including two homeruns and four RBI, while Shauna Collins, Ashleigh Larson, Jess Plummer and Kayde Schaefer added two hits apiece.
Kaci Baldwin and Hannah Johnson drove in two runs each, including Johnson’s second homerun of the day in the loss for C of I. Molly Mills and Kristen Haugen had a pair of hits and a RBI each.