KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. –
Logan Pontecorvo had the biggest hit of the day, roping an eighth inning go-ahead pinch-hit, 2-out, 2-strike, 2-run double, helping Oregon Tech salvage a doubleheader split with Corban at Steen Sports Park.
The Hustlin' Owls (20-20, 13-15 CCC) dropped the opener, 6-4, before rallying twice in the late innings to steal an 11-8 decision – pulling one-half game out of third-place in the Cascade Conference standings.
Cal Pickhardt combined to hit for the cycle on the day,
Nick Gimino had four hits and three RBI and
Andrew Sharp added two doubles and two home runs for the Tech offense.
The Warriors (14-26, 10-18) built a 2-0 lead in Game 2 – as the first four batters of the game reached – getting an RBI single from Lucas Mertlich and a second run on an error. The visitors used a 3-run sixth, keyed by a pinch-hit 2-run single from Ethan Ammerman, to extend the lead to 5-1.
OIT battled back, as a sixth inning 2-out triple from
Nik Halouchits was followed by a Gimino RBI single to make it 5-2, while an inning later, Tech plated five to take the lead.
Landon Cheney lined a 2-run triple, followed by a long 2-run blast from Pickhardt to make it 6-5. Gimino capped the rally with an RBI double off the wall in left.
Corban answered in their eighth, scoring three 2-out runs – the third on a bases-loaded wild pitch – to regain the lead. It was short-lived, as Pontecorvo came up clutch, lining an 0-2 fastball off the right-center wall to give the Owls the lead and Halouchits provided an insurance run with an RBI single.
Marcos Ulloa-Ford struck out a pair in the ninth to close out the victory, earning his fourth win.
Carson Glavich tossed seven strong innings, striking out five, in a no-decision. Halouchits posted his first career 3-hit game, with both Pickhardt and Gimino adding two hits.
Peyton Rickard was 3-for-5 for the Warriors in the loss.
In the opener, Corban never trailed, taking a 5-0 lead in the third and withstood a late OIT rally. Nate Gutierrez doubled home a run in a 2-run first and Rickard added his own RBI double in the second for the visitors.
Tech chipped away, as a Sharp homer in the fifth cut the margin to 5-2, with a Gimino RBI single in the sixth pulling the Owls within two runs.
Isaac Bateman provided two big plays late for the Warriors, hitting a solo homer in the seventh, while making a diving stop in the ninth to start a double play.
Jack Kovanen worked into the sixth for the win for Corban, getting 12 ground ball outs, with Bateman finishing 3-for-3.
Sharp was 3-for-5 with two homers, with Pickhardt and Gimino each recording two hits in the loss.
The two teams close out the series Monday with an 11 a.m. doubleheader.
