SOU splits with Eastern, secures CCC's No. 2 seed

4/28/2017 7:58:00 PM

SOU Sports Information

ASHLAND – After a series-opening loss, Southern Oregon finally solved Eastern Oregon and Karlee Coughlin continued her outstanding freshman season in the circle Friday at University Field, helping the Raiders clinch the No. 2 seed for next weekend's Cascade Conference Tournament.

The Mountaineers (27-16 overall, 16-10 CCC) claimed Game 1, 8-5, after Cheyenne Barker broke a 4-4 tie with a two-out, three-run double in the seventh inning. In Game 2, SOU (36-11, 20-6) won 6-4 as first baseman Taylor Martinez went 3-for-3 with three RBI and her sixth home run of the season to back Coughlin, who tossed a complete game and improved to 13-0 after surviving a rocky seventh inning in which EOU scored three times and brought the potential tying run to the plate.

A top-two seed means the Raiders will get a bye in the first round of the six-team, double-elimination conference tournament. Their Game 1 loss assured Corban at least a share of the regular-season title, tourney hosting rights and the CCC's first automatic spot in the NAIA Tournament. Corban (21-4 CCC) lost Friday to Carroll but can take the title outright with one win in its doubleheader Saturday or an SOU loss.

The Raiders and Mountaineers play two more Saturday – an 11 a.m. CCC contest and a 1 p.m. nonleague counter to cap the regular season. SOU had dropped six straight against EOU dating back to 2015 before ending the skid.

The Mountaineers succeeded in becoming the first team to score an earned run against SOU pitcher Victoria Mackey this season in the opener, ending her scoreless streak that began at the end of 2016 at 44 1/3 innings. They chased Mackey with nine hits in 2 1/3 innings, though they only got her for two runs. Gabby Sandoval (13-6) worked 4 2/3 innings of relief and took the loss.

With SOU trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Abigail Lund tied the game on a single that bounced into left field and played pinch-runners Mackenzie Evengelisti and Kristen Mauroschadt. But with two outs in the top of the seventh, Barker came to the plate with the bases loaded and lined her third double of the game through the gap in right-center field. Lauren Burchak also went 4-for-4 with three RBI and padded the lead with a double that followed Barker's.

EOU pitcher Haylie Van Laethem (8-9) went the distance for the win, surrendering eight hits and four earned runs.

The Raiders went up in Game 2 on Harlee Donovan's first-inning sacrifice fly that brought home Kelsey Randall and Martinez's second-inning solo shot to right field. After EOU's Kasidee Lemberger cut the lead in half with an RBI single in the top of the fourth, Lund made it 4-1 with a two-run double to the left-field fence in the bottom of the inning.

Martinez, who also recorded two RBI in Game 1, added a two-run single in the fifth.

Coughlin allowed eight hits and four runs, but only five hits and one run through the first six innings. The complete game was her 10th of the season, and she's the only pitcher in the CCC with more than five decisions and no losses. She struck out four and walked two.

Hailey Kline (15-7) took the loss. She allowed six hits and six earned with five strikeouts in six innings.