Oregon Tech Downs Madonna (Mich.) 5-2
Gulf Shores, Ala. – The Defending NAIA Champion Oregon Tech Hustlin’ Owls struggled early but came back strong to down Madonna (Mich.) 5-2 in the first round of pool G action at the NAIA Softball National Championship on Thursday. The event is being held at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex for the second straight year.
Taylor Schmidt tossed a two-run, four-hitter in picking up her 26th win of the season, breaking the old Oregon Tech school record of 25 wins set last year by Jackie Imhof.
Oregon Tech picked up its 40th win of the season against just 7 losses and will play St. Gregory’s (Okla.) tomorrow at 10:00 am (PDT) in Round 2 of Pool G play. St. Gregory’s lost to Shorter (Ga.) 5-2 Thursday in the other pool play game.
The Crusaders scored twice in the bottom of the 1st inning on a 2-run homerun off the bat of shortstop Jackie Barley to take an early 2-0 lead.
Oregon Tech’s Taylor Schmidt would make it a 2-1 game after hitting the first pitch she saw in the top of the 2nd inning over the left field fence.
The game would remain scoreless until the top of the 6th when Oregon Tech would explode for 4 runs, highlighted by a Janelle Cromie 2-run homerun over the left field wall. OIT would add two more runs on four more hits to take the lead 5-2.
Madonna would manage only 1-hit over the last 2-innings as Tech won 5-2.
Oregon Tech was led by Sara Coates who had 3-hits with Ashleigh Larson, Jess Plummer and Melissa Logan each adding 2-hits in the win.