Owls Split with Warriors
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore.- Oregon Tech and Corban split their NAIA-West doubleheader Sunday with Corban winning game one, 14-9 as they scored 6-runs in the top of the 9
th too break-open an 8-8 tie. Tech then grabbed game two, 9-4 scoring 7-runs in the 4th. The Owls win the season series 6 games to 2 and improve to 10-8 in NAIA-West play and 15-8 overall. Corban falls to 5-14 in conference play and 11-21 overall with today’s result.
Game 1 – Corban 14 Oregon Tech 9
On day two of the double header weekend, the Corban Warriors and the Oregon Tech Owls got off to a quick start. In the top of the 1
st, Corban loaded the bases with two singles and a base on balls. Corban senior, Ben Liogon stepped up to the plate and hit into a double play, but did his job and to bring Josh Ebert home from third base. The Owls put themselves in a similar situation in the bottom of the inning with runners on second and third base. Second baseman, Kai Fong hit a hard grounder that saw him out at first, but his hit was able to bring home Blake Wrotenbery from third.
In the bottom of the 3
rd inning the Owls found their bats. With the bases loaded, Michael Kilpatrick stepped to the plate and hit a ball deep down the right field line clearing the bases in the process. Contact at the plate by Alex Paz gave Kilpatrick a chance at an inside the park grand slam advancing from third base. Pitcher Kris Jackson recovered the ball and tossed it to catcher Jackson Smith just in time for a tag at the plate to call Kilpatrick out at home. The score 4-1 for the Owls.
In the bottom of the 5
th Kilpatrick struck again for Tech, hitting a ball deep to right-center field off the wall. The triple brought home Paz from first base. The score 5-1 at the end of the 5
th.
Corban found runs again in the top of the 6
th. A deep fly ball allowed Cody Schmidt to score from third base, while a high infield fly dropped by the Tech catcher allowed Jarrett Thoren to cross the plate.
The Owls with their third triple of the game, this time by Wrotenbery, brought home Ryan Riepma from first base, and a single by Thibodeaux on the next at bat sent Wrotenbery home from third. The inning closed with both teams adding 2 runs and the score 7-3.
The 7
th inning keep the bats swinging, as Corban drove in 5 runs on 4 hits with 2 runners earning base on balls, over taking Tech on the scoreboard 8-7. Tech responded with 1 run of their own in the inning, bringing the game back level at 8-8.
No runs were scored by either team in the 8
th inning, but Corban came alive in the top of the 9
th scoring 6 runs, including a grand slam by Andrew Axmaker, taking the score 14-8 for the Warriors.
Despite adding 1 run for the Owls, they were not able overcome the deficit, as the Warriors take game one with a final score 14-9.
Dom Baker is the winning pitcher as Corban improves to 11-20 overall.
Game 2 – Oregon Tech 9 Corban 4
The Owls jumped ahead in the bottom of the 1
st inning 1-0 on a single by Alex Paz bringing home Michael Kilpatrick from third base.
The Warriors matched the one run in the top of the 2
nd as Drew Loera’s long single brought Jarett Thoren home from second base.
The 3
rd inning saw the Warriors add 2 more runs on a Thoren single that brought home runners on 2
nd and 3
rd base. The score 3-1 for the away team.
Oregon Tech leveled the score in the bottom of the 4
th, as Tristan Shea hit a ball down the left field line with the bases loaded bringing home 2 runs. Tech continued to swing their bats well in the inning as they drove home 7 runs on 7 hits (including 2 doubles).
Each team added on more run over the next 5 innings as the game came to a close with the score 9-4 in favor of the home team.
With the win, the Owls move to 10-8 in the NAIA West and 15-18 overall.
The Warriors move to 5-14 in the NAIA West and 11-21 on the season.