Oregon Tech Splits with No. 7 Menlo

3/25/2017 7:03:01 PM

Klamath Falls, Ore. – Oregon Tech took game one, 6-3 over No. 7 Menlo College behind a great effort from starting pitcher Doug Molzahn. The Oaks showed their power driving in 11 runs, as they earned the spit with an 11-4 game two win at Kiger Stadium.  
Game 1 –Oregon Tech 6 No.7 Menlo 3 (9 innings)
The first inning saw the Owls defense put out the first three Oaks batters. In the bottom of the first, Menlo starting pitcher Andrew Merken struck out the first two batters, before Tech loaded the bases. Merken kept his focus as Tech could not drive in any runs on the last out.
In the top of the third inning, the Oaks found themselves with the bases loaded and just 1 out. Owls pitcher, Doug Molzahn kept his focus, striking out Jordan Getzelman, who leads the NAIA in home runs, and getting the final out of the inning on a short popup to the first baseman.
Through the first 5 innings, the two teams found only 5 hits combined. In the top of the 6^th inning, Getzelman hit a solo shot deep into centerfield, his 17^th home run of the season, to put the Oaks up 1-0.

In the bottom of the 6^th inning, the Owls responded, capitalizing on a double error by the Oaks, bringing in Blake Wrotenbery on a deep fly ball dropped by the right fielder and a ball thrown past the third baseman. With runners on first and second, Matthew Del Fante stepped to the plate and drove a ball to the wall in between the outfielders, for a two-run RBI double that drove home the runners on base, bringing the score 3-1 in favor of the home team.

In the bottom of the 7^th inning, the Owls found themselves back in scoring position after an error by relief pitcher Cruz Daddario on a throw to first base off of a Wrotenbery bunt. Louis Wolf stepped to the plate and hit a line drive straight through the infield, driving home both runners on base, while advancing to second base after a bad throw to the plate. Alexis Paz in the next at bat singled straight through the infield, bringing home Wolf to score. The inning ended with the score 6-1 for the Owls.
The top of the 8^th inning Getzelman hit his second home run of the inning, bring home the runner on first and taking the score to 6-3.

The game concluded with three outs in the top of the 9^th inning. Molzahn picks up the win for Tech, pitching 8 innings giving up 5 hits and 3 runs, with 10 strikeouts and 4 batters walked. Tech saw 16 different batters, finding 8 hits and scoring 6 runs.

Menlo pitcher Merken picks up the loss, as the Oaks pitching staff gave up 6 runs on 8 hits, with a combined 10 strikeouts. Getzelman driving in all three RBI’s on his two home runs.
 
Game 2 – No. 7 Menlo 11 Oregon Tech 4 (7 innings)
In the top of the first inning, leadoff batter for the Oaks, Nick Quejado opened the scoring with a solo home run. Menlo continued their scoring in the second inning, as Dean Aliamus hit a deep shot back to the wall in centerfield that sent Justin Bruce home from first base. Aliamus scored later on a single from Quejado, before ending the inning. The score 3-0 for the visitors.
The Owls found their bats in the bottom of the 4^th inning, batting through the order to drive home 4 runs on 4 hits and 1 error for the Oaks. The score now 4-3 in favor of the home team.

Two more scoreless innings passed, before the Oaks got hot at the plate. In the top of the 8^th, Menlo batted around their order, scoring 8 runs on 5 hits, with Getzelman hitting his 4^th home run of the weekend. The score now 11-4 in favor of the visitors, where it would stay until the conclusion of the game.

The Owls look to host Simpson University on Tuesday, 3/28 starting at 12:00pm, at Kiger Stadium.