COLUMBUS, Ga. - Oregon Tech will face off against CCC rival and defending National Champion Southern Oregon today for the NAIA softball national title. Although the two are separated by 66 miles, they'll face off over 2,650 miles from home in Columbus, Georgia. Oregon Tech (48-8) is the 2-seed in the tournament, while the Raiders (53-6) hold the 1-seed.
Oregon Tech prevailed as the winner's bracket champion with a World Series' record of 3-0. For the Raiders to claim back-to-back titles, Southern Oregon will have to knock off the Owls twice, while Tech only needs to win once.
Southern Oregon prevailed as the loser's bracket champion going 4-1, including winning two elimination games on Tuesday, 9-0 over Bethany (Kan.) and 9-0 over College of Idaho. The Yotes who started the tournament as the No.4 seed finish 3
rd in country with a record of 44-19.
The first championship game is scheduled for 2:00 pm (Pacific). If Southern Oregon wins, they'll force the World Series tiebreaker at 5:00 pm.
Southern Oregon leads the season series over Oregon Tech three games to two, with the Owls winning the last meeting, 5-0 in the Cascade Conference Tournament on the way to the tournament title.
It is the first time since 2014 that two teams from the same conference will face each other in the NAIA Softball Championship game. The last time this occurred it was Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) beating William Carey 10-6 in the (if necessary game) both teams were from the Southern States Athletic Conference.
Two CCC teams have not met for a national title in any sport since Western Oregon faced off against Northwest Nazarene in the 1995 NAIA women's basketball final.
How to follow today's championship game: