Owls Split with Raiders
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore.- In a battle of two top 25 teams it was No. 19 Oregon Tech (22-15, 15-5 CCC) and No.25 Southern Oregon (28-12, 14-6 CCC) splitting a Cascade Conference doubleheader. The Owls took game one 3-2 in 9 innings with the Raiders taking game two 4-3 Saturday afternoon at the OIT Softball Complex.
In game one, Oregon Tech scored an unearned run in the bottom of the 9
th to take the 3-2 extra inning win.
Great pitching from both teams highlighted the game. Tech’s Ann-Marie Guischer pitched all 9-innings to improve to 9-5 in picking up the win. Southern Oregon’s Sydney White was the tough luck loser going 8 and 1/3 to pick up the loss and move to 11-5 on the year.
After 5 scoreless innings, it was SOU to get on the scoreboard first in the top of the 6
th inning on an Abigail Lund 2-out RBI single to score Alexa Gonzales who had walked to lead off the inning to take a 1-0 lead.
OIT was quick to answer with a run in the bottom of the frame highlighted by a Tara Moates RBI double.
SOU took the lead back in the top of the 7
th taking advantage of a hit batter, a stolen base and a big 2-out RBI single by Kelsey Randall to take a 2-1 lead.
Tech got back-to-back singles by Alyssa Davis and Sydni Scott to start the 7
th and scored the game tying run on a McKenzie Shrum ground out to force extra innings at 2-2.
After SOU failed to score in the top of the 8
th or the 9
th, OIT had the opportunity it was looking for in the bottom of the 9
th. Moates led off with a single, then Ali Graham followed with her own single to right to get Tech runners at 1
st and 2
nd with no-outs. Tre Sullivan laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt that advanced the runners to 2
nd and 3
rd. Cassidy Hoglund then hit a fly ball to center field that was dropped by the centerfielder that allowed Moates to score the game winner.
Moates and Scott had 3-hits each to lead the Owl offense with Davis adding a pair of hits.
SOU was led by Randall, Kayleen Smith, and Taylor Martinez with 2-hits each in the loss.
In game 2, Southern Oregon gave another great performance in the circle, this time from Freshman Victoria Mackey who pitched all 7-innings, holding the Owls to 6-hits and 3-runs to improve to 12-2 on the year. Meanwhile the SOU offense pounded out 11-hits and stole 8-bases to edge out Tech 4-3.
SOU scored one run in the first inning on 3-hits, added a run in the 3
rd and 2-more runs in the 6
th to take a 4-0 lead.
Tech scored a run in the top of the 6
th on a Moates’ double to make it a 4-1 game.
OIT made things interesting in the bottom of the 7
th. After Hoglund was hit by a pitch, Davis clubbed her 5
th homer of the season, a no-doubter over the centerfield fence to make it 4-3.
Mackey was able to get the next two Owls to ground out to end the game.
Randall, Gonzales, and Rebecca Velasquez had 2-hits each to lead the Raiders.
Both teams will play at home next weekend with Oregon Tech hosting Corban on Friday and Northwest Christian on Saturday for Senior Day. SOU will host Northwest Christian Friday and Corban on Saturday in Ashland, Ore. First pitch Friday is at 2:00 pm and at 11:00 am on Saturday.