CALDWELL, Idaho. – Oregon Tech (17-21, 12-12 CCC) fell just short of getting the road-sweep over College of Idaho (19-23, 11-16 CCC). Tech won game 3, 10-3, and led 3-2 in the 9th of game 4, but couldn't close out what would've been a monumental CCC sweep for 1st year head coach Jacob Garsez. However, the three wins out of four attempts for Tech puts them right on the cusp of 2nd place behind Corban who's 14-14 in CCC play. The Hustlin' Owls face off against Corban in the final series of the year starting May 1st, in a battle for the 2-seed in the CCC conference tournament.
 
Following the game, Garsez remarked, "Good progress for us this weekend.  We were in the driver's seat to take all four, which we expected to do, but our guys continue to improve each week. This weekend presented us with more information that will help pave our path for continued improvement this week."
 
Game Three: Oregon Tech 10 College of Idaho 3
 
Tech got on the board first in game 3, doing what has turned into a regular occurrence, scoring in their 1st frame. The Hustlin' Owls grabbed the lead on a Dalton Daily SAC Fly that plated Kaleb Keelean.
 
In the 2nd inning, Tech would add two more on a fielder's choice and wild pitch.
 
Leading 3-0, the offense for OIT gave starter Trask Telesmanich some breathing room. Telesmanich would allow a run in the bottom of the 2nd, and that would be all the scoring in the game until the 6th inning.
 
In the 6th inning, Dalton Daily (pictured) went yard over the centerfield fence to extend the Tech advantage to 4-1.
 
After Telesmanich blanked COI for the 5th time in the 6th, Tech broke open the game in the 7th.
 
In the 7th inning, OIT added 4 runs on RBI base hits from Tarakhchyan, Jio, and Swanson.
 
Leading 8-1, COI would add 2 runs in the bottom of the 8th to end Telesmanich's day.
 
The Tech starter exited the game having thrown 8 solid innings. Telesmanich allowed 3 runs on 5 hits, while only walking 1 batter and striking out 3.
 
Kellen Mendez added a 2 run single in the 9th to put a cherry on top of what had been a great weekend for Tech.
 
Spencer Dahlke finished off the game on the bump for Tech throwing the 9th inning. Dahlke allowed no runs, no hits, no walks, and struck out a batter.
 
The Hustlin' Owls were led at the plate by Keelean, Jio, Tarakhchyan, Cruz, Mendez, and Malcom who all had 2 hits apiece.
 
 
Game Four: College of Idaho 4 Oregon Tech 3
 
Tech grabbed 3 runs in the top of the 1st inning, which grabbed them a lead they'd nearly have all afternoon.
 
Unfortunately a run in the 8th, and 2 in the 9th for COI allowed them to walk-off game 4 and avoid being swept at home.
 
Tech got an incredible outing out of Dylan Grogan, who made a solid bounce-back start after being in a slump.
 
Grogan threw 5 innings of 2 hit baseball, allowing only 1 run and striking out 7.
 
The 1 run Grogan allowed came off of a wild pitch in the 5th inning.
 
After Grogan exited the game, Josh Davis came in and like Grogan threw one of his best outings on the season.
 
Davis threw 2 scoreless innings allowing no runs, no hits, no walks, and striking out 2.
 
Leading 3-1 after 7, Garsez decided to move on from Davis and give the ball to Cody Dubray who allowed 1 run on 3 hits in his 1 inning of work.
 
After 14 Tech batters were sat down in a row, they still led 3-2 heading to the 9th.
 
However, COI starting pitcher, Austin Van Horne would walk the game off of Brendan Talonen, with a 2-out 2 RBI single.
 
Van Horne was hands down the player of the game, allowing 1 earned run and striking out 12 Owl batters in 7 innings of work.
 
Along with his solid outing on the mound, he went 2-4 at the plate, along with picking up the walk-off hit.
 
Tech only totaled 4 hits on the afternoon, getting those hits from Jio, Swanson, Mendez, and Stockton.
 
Tech will return to play next weekend, when they travel to Eastern Oregon for a 4-game weekend series with the Mountaineers (4-24, 4-20).
 
 
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