Jordyn Kurtz hits a game-tying home run in the opening game against OIT.
Kurtz Leads Raiders To Sweep Of No. 17 OIT
Junior Jordyn Kurtz pitched Southern Oregon to a pair of victories and hit a game-tying home run as the Raiders swept a pair from 17th-ranked Oregon Tech today at University Field.
The Raiders won the opener 3-2 and the nightcap 3-1.
Southern Oregon improved to 12-15 overall and 9-7 in Cascade Conference play with the victory. The Raiders host College of Idaho Friday at 2 p.m. Oregon Tech had an 11-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 27-8 overall and 13-3 in conference play. Oregon Tech hosts Eastern Oregon Friday afternoon.
In the opener, Oregon Tech struck first in the top of third as Brittany Cherry and Shauna Collins had back-to-back singles to start off the inning and then scored on a two-run single by Ashleigh Larson.
The Raiders trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the fourth as Julia Willison knocked in pinch-runner Danielle Batson (who ran for Kurtz after a double).
In the sixth, Kurtz tied the game at 2-2 with a shot over the centerfield wall for her first home run of the year.
In the seventh, senior Emily Matekel started the rally with a single to left. Sarah Wharton's sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second after a walk to Katie Moy, Rayna Okimoto singled to center to score the winning run.
Kurtz allowed just five hits and struck out six in the opener to pick up the win and also had two hits. Matekel also had two hits for the Raiders.
Cherry led Oregon Tech with a pair of singles.
SOU head coach Kim Fritts decided to pitch Kurtz again in the second game for the first time this year and the move worked.
Kurtz held the Owls scoreless and without a hit until the fifth inning.
The SOU offense gave Kurtz an early lead, going up 1-0 after three on a triple by Moy and back-to-back singles by Brooke Springer and Okimoto.
In the fourth, the Raiders went up 3-0 with three hits. Irene Barrantes started off the inning with a single and scored on a crushed double by Melissa Corn that bounced off the leftfield wall. Corn then moved to third on a single by Matekel and scored on a ground out.
Oregon Tech scored their lone run in the fifth on a throwing error that allowed Bree Larson to score from second.
The Owls did rally in the top of the seventh with singles by Taylor Schmidt and Kayde Schaefer, but Kurtz got the last two outs on a ground out and a strikeout.
Just like in the first game, Kurtz allowed five hits and struck out six for the victory.
Moy and Matekel both had two hits for the Raiders.