MESA, Ariz. – Oregon Tech capped a 5-1 trip to the Phoenix metro with a key West ARC sweep of Benedictine Mesa at Gene Autry Park.
The Hustlin' Owls (5-1) claimed 16-9 and 10-3 victories, combining for 27 hits in the two wins.
Logan Pontecorvo and Michael O'Daniel each had four hits and five RBI in the sweep of the Redhawks (5-6).
Tech scored five first inning runs in Game 1 – capitalizing on three walks, a hit-by-pitch and a 2-out error to plate three runs, with Nick Gimino providing the big blow with a 2-run double.
The Owls broke the game open in the third, batting around for eight runs, as O'Daniel lined an RBI triple, Jacob Cook had an RBI double, Gimino drove in a run with a single and Pontecorvo cleared the bases with a 3-run triple.
BenU pulled within 13-8 after seven innings, but O'Daniel doubled in a run in the eighth and Pontecorvo singled home a run in the ninth to extend the lead.
Reliever Enrique Perez got the win, allowing a run on two hits in three innings, while Caleb Randolph threw two shutout frames.
Gimino finished 4-for-5 with three RBI, Dylan Edwards was 2-for-4 with three runs scored, Cook was 2-for-4 with an RBI, Pontecorvo had two hits and four RBI, with O'Daniel going 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Game 2 was dominated by Landon Cheney, as the senior tossed six innings, allowing an unearned run on seven hits, striking out six.
O'Daniel staked Tech to a third inning lead with an RBI triple followed by an Aiden Corkery RBI single. After BenU got a run back on a Tyler Jackson RBI double in the bottom of the inning, the Owls methodically extended the lead. Tyler Sharp made it 3-1 in the fourth with an RBI single, JoJo Roman had a fifth inning 2-run pinch-hit double to extend the margin to 5-1, with the Owls adding three runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh.
Logan Macy, Pontecorvo and O'Daniel all had two hits in the Game 2 win.
The Owls will have tomorrow off, preparing for a Thursday-Saturday 4-game series at The Master's in Santa Clarita, Calif.