HELENA, Mont. – Dominant pitching on a frigid morning, coupled by three key home runs, helped Oregon Tech complete a doubleheader sweep of Carroll College at Centennial Park.
 
The No. 5-ranked Lady Owls (35-7, 20-3 CCC) remained tied atop the Cascade Conference standings with the 8-1 and 6-0 victories – running their win streak to eight.
 
Kacie Schmidt allowed just three hits and fanned 10 in the Game 1 win, while Mckenzie Staub followed with a 4-hit shutout, striking out seven, to complete the sweep.
 
"Fantastic pitching from Kacie and Mckenzie and we got timely hits up and down the lineup," said OIT head coach Greg Stewart. "I was really proud of these ladies for making some great adjustments at the plate."

Tech struck first in Game 1, as Zoe Allen doubled in the opening inning and scored on a Puakea Milbourne RBI single.  The Fighting Saints (17-21-1, 10-13) tied the score in the bottom of the inning on a lead off solo homer from Brookelynn Jackson – their only run of the day against OIT pitching.
 
Kaila Mick gave the Owls the lead for good in the third with her fourth home run of the season, a 2-run shot, while later in the inning, Jayce Seavert made it 4-1 with an RBI single.  Milbourne capped the scoring in the seventh, hitting an opposite field grand slam, her tenth home run of the year.
 
Allen finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored, Seavert was 2-for-4, with Milbourne going 2-for-3 with her second five RBI game of the year.
 
In Game 2, Lexi Klum gave OIT a 1-0 lead in the second, hitting her eighth home run of the year – providing all the offense Staub needed.
 
The Owls would get insurance runs in the sixth and RBI singles from Milbourne and Staub, adding three runs in the seventh on RBI hits from Mick, Klum and Seavert.
 
Klum was 3-for-4 in the nightcap, with Milbourne, Seavert, Mick and Addison Kachnik all posting 2-hit games. Morgan Sunchild had three of the four hits for Carroll.
 
The two teams close out the weekend series tomorrow with an 11 a.m. (MDT) doubleheader.