COMING UP: vs. No. 8 Lewis-Clark State (DH), Friday, 11 a.m.; vs. No. 8 Lewis-Clark State (DH), Saturday, 11 a.m.

COMPLETE WEEKLY MEDIA NOTEBOOK
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION: The 4-game series with LC State will be streamed live on the Owls Sports Network with Mike Safford on the call, with Live Stats provided through the OIT SIDEARM Stats Portal.
 
MULTIMEDIA: Photos from the 2024 season are posted online via the OIT Baseball Flickr Page, while highlight clips are posted online via the new OIT Baseball YouTube Channel.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – LEWIS-CLARK STATE: The perennial Pacific Northwest baseball power heads to the Basin this weekend, as No. 8-ranked Lewis-Clark State brings a 5-game win streak into the 4-game series. The 19-time NAIA national champions finished fourth in the Cascade Conference standings last year, but took advantage of their host bid to nationals – winning their Opening Round site and advancing to the World Series title game. The 2024 team is 6-6 away from Lewiston – but feature the top pitching staff (4.43 team ERA) and a bevy of sluggers (36 home runs). Drake George (4-0 2.76 ERA) paces a deep pitching staff (16 pitchers who have thrown at least five innings), with Shane Spencer (2-0 3.91 ERA) and Cameron Smith (2-0 4.05 ERA) each key returners. Returning outfielders Carter Booth (.340 3 HR 15 RBI) and Nick Seamons (.333 4 HR 21 RBI), along with third baseman Dominic Signorelli (.301 11 HR 30 RBI) and designated hitter Charlie Updegrave (.217 3 HR 20 RBI) provide veteran leadership, along with new first baseman Jake Gish (.353 5 HR 26 RBI).
 
HISTORY VS. THE WARRIORS: LC has dominated the series with the Owls, holding a 78-10 series edge, including a 34-3 record in Klamath Falls. However, last season, it was OIT that claimed the season series – taking 3-of-4 in Lewiston and split games with the Warriors at the CCC Championships – including a 5-4 win in the league semifinals.
 
FIRST TIME EVER: OIT and College of Idaho have been rivals for over two decades – playing every season since 1987 (minus the 1992-01 timeframe when Tech's team was on hiatus). During that time, the Owls had no success in Caldwell – at one point losing 35-straight games on C of I's home field. Things changed last weekend, as OIT swept the 4-game series – the first sweep in 19 trips to the Treasure Valley – rallying in the late innings to win Game 1 and Game 3, while riding solid defense (four outfield assists) and timely hitting to earn the victories.
 
ON A ROLL: The wins at C of I extended the Hustlin' Owls win streak to seven games, with Tech winning 21 of their last 26 games after an 0-6 start. It is the ninth time OIT has recorded a 7-game win streak (and second time this season), with the 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2018 and 2023 joining this season's club. The school record for consecutive wins was established in 2009, when the Owls rattled off 11 victories in a row.
 
ARMS THE STORY: Pitching is key for Tech in the 7-game win streak, as the Owls have recorded 5-straight games allowing four earned runs or fewer. Since the season-opening 6-game losing streak – in which Tech allowed a combined 52 runs – the Owls have posted a combined 4.58 ERA, which would rank No. 2 in the CCC.
 
ORTIZ HIT STREAK REACHES 14: Matthew Ortiz hit safely in all four games of the C of I series, extending his hitting streak to a season-high 14 games. The junior was 6-for-17 in the set, scoring five runs, adding a double and five RBI. It marks his second hitting streak of 14-or-more games – recording a 15-game hit streak in 2022. Since 2002 only Alex Poltz (23 games in 2018), Zack Earle (17 games in 2009, 16 games in 2010) and Ryson Mauricio (16 games in 2009 and 2010) have recorded longer hit streaks.
 
BARRY PRODUCES: The month of March has been kind to Tech shortstop Patrick Barry, as the transfer continued his torrid streak at the plate, going 8-for-13 in the C of I series. The junior scored four runs, had two stolen bases and drove in a pair in Idaho, raising his team-leading batting average to .404. In March alone, Barry has 10 multi-hit games, including three in the C of I series.
 
HORNER REACHES DOUBLE-DIGIT HOMERS: Tyler Horner belted a 2-run homer in Game 4 of the C of I series, becoming the 12th OIT player to hit double-digit home runs in a season. The junior is chasing the single-season record of 16, established by former teammate, Dalton Daily, in 2022. Horner ranks second in the CCC with his 10 home runs and leads the circuit with 38 RBI.
 
CATCHERS PROVIDING A SPARK: The duo of Ty Blakely and Brady Culp have shared duties behind the play when Tyler Horner moves to third base, with both players contributing to the OIT sweep of C of I. Blakely finished the weekend 3-for-7 with a double, triple and two RBI, while Culp was 2-for-3 – with the pair combining to throw out 2-of-3 base stealers.
 
CHAPPLE CONTINUES RUN: Lightning stood between Bronson Chapple and his sixth-straight win – as the transfer was lifted with two outs in the fifth inning after a 75-minute thunderstorm delay in the Owls Game 2 8-3 win. The junior continued his dominant stretch, holding C of I to one run on four hits, striking out seven – his sixth-straight start allowing one run or less. For the year, Chapple leads the staff with 56 strikeouts and just eight walks in 45.2 innings.
 
ARMAN DOMINATES C OF I AGAIN: Throughout his OIT career, Patrick Arman has had marked success against C of I – with the righthander running his all-time record against the Yotes to 5-1 with a stellar performance on Saturday. The senior tied a season-high with seven strong innings, allowing just two runs, one walk and striking out seven – earning the 21st win of his career.
 
POLL POSITION: A 7-1 record between polling periods helped the Hustlin' Owls into rarified air, as Tech received 65 voter points from the 20 national raters in the March 27 Top-25 poll – the most points in the Top-25 poll in program history. OIT is the third team listed in the others receiving votes category, while three preseason opponents (No. 2 LSU Shreveport, No. 6 Central Methodist, No. 7 Jessup) are in the Top-10.
 
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: Along with OIT's sweep of C of I, LC State swept a 4-game series with Eastern Oregon, UBC swept a series with Corban, with Bushnell dropping three games at Division I Utah Valley. This week, C of I travels to Bushnell, UBC heads to Eastern, with Corban having a bye weekend.
 
SUCCESS AT STEEN: Since making the move from Kiger Stadium to Steen Sports Park in 2022, the Hustlin' Owls have recorded a combined 29-14 record at their new diamond. This season, OIT is 5-3 at home – including a series win over UBC.
 
RECORD BOOK: Eleven OIT are currently ranked in the Top-25 of the Owls career record book. Patrick Arman holds the school record for wins (21), strikeouts (228), pitching starts (46) and innings pitched (297.1), ranking No. 4 in pitching appearances (56); Cody Dubray is No. 2 in strikeouts (214), No. 3 in pitching starts (34), No. 7 in pitching appearances (52), No. 8 in wins (12) and No. 11 in innings pitched (177.0); with Riley Cronin No. 4 in saves (5) and Tim Williams No. 12 in saves (3). Matthew Ortiz is No. 1 in sacrifice flies (14), No. 2 in stolen bases (44), No. 5 in RBI (119), No. 9 in hits (185), No. 10 in at bats (551) and runs scored (108), No. 12 in doubles (32), No. 13 in triples (6), No. 16 in games started (135) and in walks (55), ranking No. 19 in games played (135); Tyler Horner is No. 5 in home runs (21), RBI (119) and walks (75), No. 7 in hit-by-pitches (24), No. 8 in doubles (37), No. 10 in hits (179), No. 14 in at bats (524), No. 15 in games started (138) and in games played (138), ranking No. 24 in sacrifice flies (5); Korrey Siracusa is No. 2 in hit-by-pitches (37); Ka'ala Tam is No. 4 in stolen bases (36) and No. 13 in hit-by-pitches (19); Julien Jones is No. 9 in triples (7), No. 17 in stolen bases (23), No. 19 in RBI (75), ranking No. 22 in home runs (11); with Kyle Norton No. 22 in stolen bases (20) and Dane Bradshaw No. 25 in stolen bases (19).
 
LOOKING AHEAD: Tech has their CCC bye weekend next weekend, with the Owls next playing April 9 at Simpson – the start of a 9-game road swing.