GLENDALE, Ariz. – Top-ranked Oregon Tech bounced back from their first losses of the season in a big way, rolling to 9-2 and 6-2 victories over Arizona Christian to close out a weekend trip to the Phoenix metro.
Kaila Mick had six hits on the day and both
Nita Cook and
Lexi Klum hit home runs, as the Lady Owls (6-2) finished their road swing with a 4-2 record.
"It was great to see the ladies bounce back and show some character and toughness after a couple of tough losses," said OIT head coach
Greg Stewart. "We executed offensively and pitched really well against a good ACU team."
Tech never trailed on the afternoon – plating first inning runs in each of the games.
In Game 1,
Zoe Allen singled, stole second and scored on a Mick single to stake the Owls to a 1-0 first inning lead. OIT would extend the margin to 5-0 in the third, as
Puakea Milbourne lined a 2-run single, with two additional runs scoring on a dropped fly ball.
ACU (6-4) got a pair of runs back in their half of the second – but OIT methodically pulled away. Mick ripped an RBI single in the fourth to make it 6-2 and was part of a double-steal with Allen in the sixth that extended the margin to 8-2. In the seventh, Cook legged out an inside-the-park home run to cap the scoring.
Mckenzie Staub earned the win, tossing four innings, surrendering just one earned run.
Kacie Schmidt earned the save in relief, throwing three shutout innings, fanning three. Mick was 4-for-4, with Cook going 3-for-4. Miranda Hippolito was 3-for-4 for ACU in the loss.
Tech rode the right arm of
Jenna Gorden in the nightcap, as the junior limited the Firestorm bats to three hits, striking out two. Freshman
Alli Parker made her collegiate debut, throwing a scoreless seventh.
Staub got the Owls on the board in the first with an RBI single, while a dropped fly ball in the third allowed two runs to score, extending the Tech lead to 3-0.
Malia Mick circled the bases in the sixth - tripling and scoring via a throwing error, while Klum blasted a long solo homer in the seventh.
Four players – Allen, Klum and both Mick sisters had two hits in the victory.
OIT returns to action next Saturday, traveling to Redding for a doubleheader at Simpson.
