Hustlin’ Owls Take Three from British Columbia

3/19/2017 8:35:25 PM

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – For the first time since 2007 the Oregon Tech baseball team won a four game series from UBC as the Owls swept all three games (6-3, 2-1, 3-2) on Sunday afternoon at Kiger stadium. Tech improves to 7-7 in NAIA-West play and 10-14 on the year with British Columbia slipping to 16-8 on the year and 6-5 in NAIA-West action.
 
Acting Head Coach Nick Gauna stated, “I think the highlight of the weekend was how well our bullpen pitched in tight games against a very good hitting team. We also made some great adjustments at the plate from last weekend to this weekend with being aggressive and staying on the offensive.”
 
Game 2 Saturday finished Sunday OIT 6 UBC 3
 
UBC won game 1 Saturday 14-6, however game 2 was suspended in the bottom of the 4^th with Tech leading 6-2 due to poor field conditions and the forecast for more heavy rain.  The game resumed Sunday a noon after a 17 hour and 24 minute delay.
 
Tech’s Doug Molzahn pitched the first 4 innings but was unable to continue Sunday after the delay. Trask Telesmanich picked-up were Molzahn left off, going the final 5 innings allowing just 5-hits and 1-run to pick up the win and improve to 1-1 on the year.
 
Tech scored 4-runs on 5-hits in the bottom of the 2^nd to take a 5-2 lead on an Alexis Paz 2-RBI double.
 
Tech added an insurance run in the 3^rd on 2-hits to lead 6-2.
 
UBC scratched across 1-run in the 9^th but unable to get closer, with Tech winning 6-3.
 
Paz led the OIT offense with 3-hits with Alex Poltz chipping in 2-hits in the win.
 
Tyler Yorko had 3-hits for the Thunderbirds.
 
Game 1 Sunday OIT 2 UBC 1 (7-Innings)
 
Great pitching by Oregon Tech starters continued with Tech’s Adam Kandra going 5 1/3 to pick up the win and improve to 2-2 on the year, allowing just 5-hits and 1-run with the Hooter defense spinning 2-double plays behind him. Josh Havig finished the 6^th for Kandra with Wes Loy picking up the save, pitching the 7^th as the Tech pitching staff continued to shine.
 
Tech got on board in the 1^st with 1-run on 3-hits highlighted by an Evan Johnson RBI single.
 
The Owls then scored what would be the eventual game winner in the 4^th inning as senior Louis Wolf just missed a home run, hitting a double off the top of the centerfield fence. Wolf took 3^rd on an UBC error then scored on a wild pitch to give Tech the 2-0 lead.
 
UBC returned the favor in the 5^th scoring their only run of the game on OIT wild pitch after 2-hits.
 
The Tech bullpen took over, leading the Owls to the 2-1 win.
 
Wolf had half of Tech’s 4-hits in the game to lead the OIT offense.
 
Kyle McComb had 2-hits for UBC.
 
Game 2 Sunday OIT 3 UBC 2  (7-innings)
 
Alexis Paz hit a 2-run homer in the 2^nd inning and Tech continued to get great pitching in knocking off the T-Birds 3-2 in game 2.
 
Tech starter Evan Johnson allowed 5-hits and 2-runs to pick up the win and improve to 1-1 on the year. Ben Hood pitched the final 2 and 2/3-innings to pick up his 1^st save of the year for the Owls.
 
Paz and Michael Kilpatrick led the Owls with 2-hits in the game.
 
McComb led UBC with 2-hits in the loss.
 
Oregon Tech will continue its home stand next Friday and Saturday hosting Menlo College.
 
UBC will return home to host College of Idaho next weekend.