KLAMATH FALLS, Ore.- Junior Harlee Donovan (Pictured) hit three home runs and No. 21 Southern Oregon University exhibited stellar pitching in a Cascade Conference doubleheader sweep of No. 25 Oregon Tech (7-5 game 1, 3-2 game 2) Friday afternoon at the OIT Softball Field. The Raiders improve to 15-5 in CCC play and 30-9 on the year with the Owls falling to 14-6 in conference and 24-10 overall with today’s result.
Donovan smashed a pair of homers and had 5 RBI to lead Southern Oregon past Tech in game 1. She followed that with a solo shot in game two; that blast gave the Raiders the early 1-0 lead. Donovan ended the doubleheader, going 3 for 5 with 7 RBI and 3-runs scored.
Tech’s Tara Moates went 5 for 7 with 3-RBI, including a home run in each game to lead the Owl’s offense.
Game 1 – Southern Oregon 7 Oregon Tech 5
Each team scored 2-runs in the first inning, SOU on Donovan’s 2-run homer and Tech on a Moates 2-run blast.
The Raiders took command of the game with 4-runs in the top of the 5
th on 4-hits including Donovan’s 2
nd HR of the game, a 3-run blast that wrapped around the left-field foul pole as SOU took a 6-2 lead. SOU added a run in the top of the 6
th on 3-hits to take a 7-2 lead heading into the bottom of the 7
th.
Tech rallied for 3-runs to make it a 7-5 game on 3-hits including an Ali Graham 2-out, 2-run double. That would be as close as OIT would get as the game ended on a strikeout.
Gabby Sandoval picked-up the win for SOU with 9-strikeouts as she improved to 12-5 on the year.
Donovan, Kayleen Smith and Tyler Burke had 3-hits each to lead the Raiders.
Moates had 3-hits with Rachael Delamare and Karly LeVeque contributing 2-hits each in the loss for the Owls.
Game 2 Southern Oregon 3 Oregon Tech 2
Donovan picked-up where she left off in game 1, hitting a solo home run in the top of the first to put SOU up 1-0. It was the 4
th game in a row that she has homered.
Graham tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI double that scored Rashaun Sells who doubled to start the inning.
SOU took the lead back at 2-1 with 1-run in the top of the 3
rd taking advantage of 2-walks and a pair of singles.
Moates then tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the 4
th as she hammered her 7
th homer of the season, a solo shot to left field.
Southern Oregon scored what would be the deciding run in the top of the 5
th playing a little small ball. Kelsey Randall reached on a throwing error to open the inning, putting her at second base. She was then bunted over to 3
rd and scored on a controversial call at home plate as Donovan grounded to Sadie Birch at first base, who threw home, but the speedy Randall was ruled safe at home with the game winner.
Karlee Coughlin picked-up the win for SOU as she improved to 10-0 on the year with Victoria Mackey picking-up her second save of the year for the Raiders.
Loryn Williams pitched well for OIT but was tough luck loser, falling to 7-6 on the year for the Owls.
The two teams will play another doubleheader Saturday at 11:00 am at Oregon Tech.