KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Oregon Tech and Eastern Oregon put on an offensive explosion at Steen Sports Park, combining for 52 runs in a doubleheader, as the two Cascade Conference rivals split the wild twinbill to close out the 4-game series.
 
The Hustlin' Owls (16-18, 9-13 CCC) used a 9-run eighth inning outburst to claim Game 1, 15-5, while the Mountaineers outlasted Tech in a 4-hour marathon nightcap, 17-15.
 
Jacob Cook finished the day 5-for-8 with five RBI for OIT, who moved into sole possession of fifth-place in the league standings.
 
Tech jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the opener – as Aiden Corkery provided a big first inning knock, clearing the bases with a 3-run double.
 
Starter Aiden Lundquist took a shutout into the sixth, but the Mountaineers (9-23, 6-15) battled back, using a pair of unearned runs in a 3-run sixth to get on the board, while a Mario Landeros RBI single in the seventh getting the visitors even.
 
From there, OIT exploded against the Mountie bullpen – as a Logan Macy bloop single in the bottom of the inning gave the Owls the lead – before a monster eighth inning ended the game. Nine straight batters reached base for Tech in the 9-run inning, as Cook ripped a 2-run double and Corkery lined a 2-run single, with Jojo Roman ending the game with a walk-off sacrifice fly.
 
Corkery was 2-for-5 with five RBI, Cook was 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI, with Michael O'Daniel and Andrew Sharp adding two hits. Roman led Tech with four runs scored.
 
Marcos Ulloa-Ford worked and inning and third for the win for Tech. EOU reliever Will Slater got a no-decision despite five shutout innings, allowing just two hits.
 
Game 2 featured 12 pitchers, 32 hits and four lead changes in the final three innings – ending in the Mounties first win in the Basin since 2004.
 
Eastern staked themselves to a 5-0 second inning lead, getting the first of three sacrifice flies from Austin Demianew in the opening inning and a key 2-run single from Jace Nagler in the second – part of a 4-for-6 game for the Mountie shortstop.
 
Tech cut the margin to 6-4 in the fourth, but a 2-run Kai Brown homer in the fifth helped EOU rebuild the lead.
 
The Owls trailed 10-5 in the seventh – but batted around for six runs to take their first lead. Logan Pontecorvo walked with the bases loaded to start the rally and Cal Pickhardt followed with an opposite-field grand slam to tie the game. Tech would reload the bases and Landon Cheney drew a walk to give the hosts an 11-10 lead.
 
Eastern answered with a 4-run eighth, as Andrew Soto tied the score with a single and Brown gave the visitors the lead with a 2-run double. OIT responded with a 4-run eighth of their own, with Cook giving the Owls a 15-14 lead with a 2-run single.
 
The Mounties proved to be too much, capitalizing on a 1-out OIT error – tying the score on a Brown ground out, before Landeros hit a go-ahead 2-run double off the right field wall to provide the winning margin.
 
Tucker Zander got the final four outs for EOU to earn the win, with Brown going 3-for-5, adding five RBI in the victory.
 
Pickhardt, Nick Gimino and Cook each had three hits in the loss for the Owls.
 
OIT hits the road next weekend for Friday-Saturday games at Warner Pacific.