KLAMATH FALLS – Gabby Sandoval had her way with the NAIA's highest-scoring lineup and top-ranked Southern Oregon clinched a pivotal Cascade Conference series with back-to-back wins over No. 5 Oregon Tech, 2-0 and 8-3, the latter in extra innings Friday at Stilwell Stadium.
The longest winning streak in school history stretched to 19 games for the Raiders (25-1 overall, 11-0 CCC), who dropped the Owls (21-3, 8-3) three games back of first place with the sweep.
"A couple of tough losses today including the extra inning loss in game two where we had a few chances to win it with a timely hit," said OIT head coach
Greg Stewart. "We battled against the number one team in the country and pitched really well to keep their offense to just five runs through 15 innings. We need to grow from this experience and get some clutch hits tomorrow when the opportunity comes our way."
Sandoval pitched her 32nd career shutout in Game 1 despite yielding more hits (9) than in any of the previous 31, and left fielder Katrina Winterburn came through with a two-run double to right-center field in the fourth inning that proved to be the difference.
Sandoval also earned the Game 2 win, which made her 14-0, by throwing 3 2/3 innings of relief in which she allowed only an unearned run. She bought time for the Raider lineup to come alive with five runs on five hits in the ninth, which was started with back-to-back doubles from Hannah Shimek and Lauren Quirke.
Quirke went 5-for-6 with two doubles and two walks on the day. As the Game 2 starter, she broke SOU's record for consecutive innings pitched without allowing an earned run with five more that brought her run to 41 frames. It ended in the sixth, when OIT's
Krista Ward served up an RBI double that cut SOU's lead to 3-2.
Sarah Abramson led off the bottom of the seventh for OIT by reaching on an error, and the Owls turned that mishap into the game-tying run with a bunt and
McKenna Armantrout's RBI single.
After Shimek and Quirke's extra-base hits recovered the lead for SOU in the ninth, Tayler Walker hit an RBI single and Olivia Mackey a sacrifice fly. Avery Morehead-Hutsell, who'd pitched in a run-scoring single in the top of the sixth, put a bow on the rally with a two-run triple.
The Raiders deal OIT freshman
Mckenzie Staub (10-1) her first loss. In Game 1, they dropped
Sarah Abramson to 11-2 despite her five-hit complete game.
Quirke's line included five hits, two strikeouts and a walk in 5 1/3 innings. Sandoval struck out three in her series-opening complete game, but the Owls tagged her for four doubles among their nine hits.
Jensen Becker, who went 3-for-3, hit one of them.
Sandoval is 7-0 against OIT since the start of 2019. Allie Stines helped maintain her perfect record in Game 2 with sliding, run-saving catches in left field to end the sixth and eighth innings.
The Raiders and Owls will complete the CCC series at 11 a.m. Saturday. The fourth game of the set, a non-conference affair, will follow.
NO FANS COVID-19 PROTOCOLS
Oregon Tech campus administration will be limiting the number of spectators allowed in our athletic home venues. With our limited venue capacity, we are prioritizing our Oregon Tech student athlete's family members. Oregon Tech is following current Klamath County guidelines which have recently moved into the Moderate Risk category. Moderate Risk allows for a small number of people to be allowed inside each venue.
