Shauna Collins led off game 1 with a homerun and later added a triple to help the Owls to a 4-2 win in game 1. Tech and Concordia split after the Cavs won 8-3 in the nightcap.
Oregon Tech Splits CCC Home Opener with Concordia
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – No. 9 Oregon Tech held on to defeat Concordia University in game 1 by a 4-2 final, while the Owls spotted the CU six runs in the nightcap and never caught the Cavs, as Tech fell in the nightcap by an 8-3 score.
Oregon Tech is now 21-6 on the season, and with their first loss in Cascade Conference play sits at 5-1 in CCC standings. Concordia is 18-7 on the year and 4-2 in CCC play.
Game 1 – After Concordia threatened in their first at bat in the opener, it didn’t take long for the home team to get on the board as Shauna Collins led off the first inning with a homerun to give the Owls an early 1-0 advantage.
The Owls were held scoreless over the next two innings before Tech got to CU hurler, Ashley Suter, for three runs in the fourth inning to move up 4-0 in the contest. A walk and two illegal pitches sent Ashley Sfetku to third and with two outs McKenzie Shrum singled home Sfetku. Collins followed with a triple and Alyssa Davis a double to give the Owls the four run cushion.
The Cavaliers plated their first run of the game after Jennifer Lutton led off the fifth inning with a single and moved up a base on a Robin Gawlista sacrifice bunt. With two outs in the inning Tobey Varney singled to left field scoring Lutton after an error on the play. A ground out ended the CU threat.
A one out walk led to a second Cavalier run in the sixth inning. Taylor Copher walked and advanced on a ground out to second base. Cassidy Horner followed with an RBI single to right field, while a ground out ended the CU rally as Tech led 4-2.
After Tech went down in order in the sixth inning, Concordia singled to open the seventh. Galista reached on an infield hit, advancing to second on a ground out. With two outs Katie Aden lined out to right for the game’s final out as Tech took the opener by a 4-2 final.
Collins and Davis gathered two hits each for Tech with Collins adding a homerun and triple and two RBI. McKenzie Shrum added a hit and RBI with Davis driving in a run for the Owls. Melissa Logan and Sara Coates had a hit each including a double from Logan. Taylor Schmidt allowed eight hits and one earned run to improve to 12-1 on the season.
Copher and Lutton finished with two hits each for CU, while Gawlista, Horner, Aden and Varney each recorded hits in the game 1 loss. Horner drove in the Cavs’ only RBI, while Ashley Suter fell to 8-3 in the circle for CU. Suter scattered seven hits and struck out eight in the opener.
Game 2 – Concordia struck for six runs in the second inning with the Owls plating a run in the bottom half as CU went up 6-1.
After Luther reached on a fielder’s choice, back-to-back single by Lugar and Gawlista loaded the bases for the Cavaliers. Lutton grounded out to push across a run, while back-to-back errors by the Owls gave CU a 3-0 advantage. With a pair of runners on base, Santos homered to center to give the visitors a 6-0 lead.
For Tech, Kayla Prock singled home Shrum, who led off the second inning with a single, for the Owls’ first run of the nightcap. After holding the Cavs scoreless for the next three innings Tech managed to cut their own deficit in half after plating two runs in the fifth inning. Davis singled after a walk, while Plummer singled and drove in a run to make it 6-2 and Sara Coates followed with a single to drive in Davis making it 6-3.
CU, however, added an insurance run in the sixth and seventh inning, while Cavalier hurler Danielle Orvella didn’t allow Tech another run as the Owls fell 8-3 in the nightcap.
For Oregon Tech Alyssa Davis finished with two hits with Plummer, Coates and Prock adding a single and RBI each. Collins and Shrum recorded Tech’s only other hits in game 2. Rylee Carleton fell to 9-5 in the circle with the loss. Carleton went 3.0 innings allowing five hits with Melissa Logan finishing the final four innings for the Owls allowing three hits and striking out three.
Danielle Orvella moved to 7-2 for the Cavs allowing seven hits and striking out four. Kate Santos finished 3-for-4 at the plate, including a double and homerun. The catcher drove in three runs. Luther added a double for CU.
Oregon Tech next will host Northwest University of Kirkland, Wash. in a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 11:00 a.m.