LEWISTON, Idaho – The greatest season in Oregon Tech baseball history came to an end at Harris Field, as Wayland Baptist hit four home runs and withstood 13 hits by the Hustlin' Owls in a 7-6 decision at the NAIA Baseball Opening Round, presented by Avista.
OIT (39-16) ends the season with a school record 39 victories – setting countless seasonal marks in their deepest postseason run in program history.
The Pioneers (41-18) took a 3-0 lead in their opening at bats, as Delvis Claudio led off the game with a solo homer and three batters later, Samuel Fabian lined a 2-run homer.
The Owls answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame – as
Julien Jones posted an RBI double and both
Ka'ala Tam and
Ty Blakely had run-scoring singles.
WBU took the lead for good in the fourth on a bases loaded walk, adding a solo homer from Brayden Peyton in the fifth and a 2-run blast from Felix Polanco in the seventh to take a 7-3 lead.
Tam cut the deficit in half in the seventh with a 2-run single, while in the eighth, the Owls loaded the bases with no outs – but managed just one run – as a double play ball and a pop out ended the threat.
Playing in their final collegiate games, Tam was 4-for-5, with
Patrick Barry and
Keanu Mizuta each recording two hits.
WBU advances to meet Lewis-Clark State on Wednesday in an elimination game.
