Oregon Tech Holds-Off St. Gregory’s 3-2
(Gulf Shores, Ala.) – Oregon Tech scored three first inning runs and then held on to down up-set minded St. Gregory’s (Okla.) in 2nd round pool play action in the NAIA National Tournament being played at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.
Oregon Tech, now 2-0 in Pool G, plays Shorter (Ga.) on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. PDT. St. Gregory’s, now 0-2 in Pool G, plays Madonna (Mich.) on Saturday.
Oregon Tech got on the scoreboard scoring 3-runs on 3-hits all un-earned in the bottom of the first inning. Shauna Collins doubled, and then Ashleigh Larson reached on an error to put runners on the corners with no outs. After Jess Plummer popped out, Larson then stole second base. Starting pitcher Taylor Schmidt helped herself out with a big 2-run single that scored Collins from third and Larson from second to give OIT the early 2-0 lead. Tech would add one more run on a Sara Coates RBI single to make it a 3-0 game.
The Hustlin’ Owls would only pick up 2 more hits the rest of the game as Devon Frazier settled in for St. Gregory’s striking out 7 Oregon Tech batters.
The Cavaliers finally broke through in the 6th inning, taking advantage of on Oregon Tech throwing error to score one run on one hit to make it a 3-1 game.
After Oregon Tech went down in order in the top of the 7th inning, St. Gregory’s seemed poised to make it a game with a leadoff triple from pinch-hitter Christen Gutierrez. After the next two batters were retired by Schmidt, Caitlin O’Hagen singled to left scoring Gutierrez from third and that put the tying run on first base. Schmidt would then get Kristen Wehmeyer to ground out to third to end the game as Oregon Tech won a nail-biter 3-2.
Sara Coates continued to swing a hot bat for Oregon Tech going 2 for 3 with an RBI, Coates is now 5 for 7 in two games at the tournament.
Taylor Schmidt pitched well for Tech spreading out 6-hits and 2-runs, 1-earned to pick up her 27th win of the season.
Frazier was the tough luck looser picking up the loss as she allowed only 5-hits and no earned runs over 6 innings for St. Gregory’s.