KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – For the 12th-consecutive season, Oregon Tech will play for a spot in the NAIA Softball World Series, as the Lady Owls made single runs in the first two innings stand up, toppling No. 11-ranked Our Lady of the Lake, 2-1, in the semifinals of the Klamath Falls Opening Round Bracket at Stilwell Stadium.
OIT (43-8) will play Wednesday at 4 p.m. against the winner of the elimination bracket finale between OLLU and Dickinson State – needing a win to clinch their sixth World Series trip since 2019.
The Saints (40-11), the 2024 NAIA champs, limited the Owls to six hits – but the early run support was all Tech needed.
Nita Cook walked and scored on a first inning
Addison Kachnik single to grab the lead, while an inning later,
Hayden Rockwell singled, followed by a
Jazmine Macias double – with Rockwell scoring on a Cook ground out to make it 2-0.
The Owls used timely pitching and defense to made the runs hold – as OLLU's lone run came on a solo fourth inning homer from Lilly Rocha. The Saints stranded a pair of runners on base in both the second and fourth innings, while in the fifth, the Texas school loaded the bases with one out.
Kristine Schmidt coaxed a ground ball to Cook at second – who collided with a base-runner, earning an obstruction call – with the automatic out forcing runners to retreat to their original bases. Schmidt followed with a key strikeout to end the threat.
After Tech left runners at third in the fifth and sixth innings, OLLU loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, but Schmidt got a ground ball to short to end the game.
Alli Parker went the first four-plus innings, allowing six hits for the victory, with Schmidt allowing just one hit in logging her third save of the year. Six different OIT hitters had one hit, while Arianna Alejandro was 2-for-4 for the Saints.
In the early game, Arizona Christian got a three RBI from Dayna Herrera, as the Firestorm earned their first NAIA Tournament win, eliminating St. Thomas, 5-4. However, Dickinson State capitalized on five ACU errors in today's finale, using a 6-run fourth inning to earn a 7-3 win to set up Wednesday schedule.
All games will be carried on the Urban Edge Network and locally on radio on 104.3/960 Sports.
Monday
GAME 1 – Dickinson State 8, Arizona Christian 4
GAME 2 – Our Lady of the Lake 13, St. Thomas 7
GAME 3 – Oregon Tech 4, Dickinson State 0
Tuesday
GAME 4 – Arizona Christian 5, St. Thomas 4 (loser out)
GAME 5 – Oregon Tech 2, Our Lady of the Lake 1
GAME 6 – Dickinson State 7, Arizona Christian 3 (loser out)
Wednesday
GAME 7 – Our Lady of the Lake vs. Dickinson State, 1 p.m. (loser out)
GAME 8 – Oregon Tech vs. Winner 7, 4 p.m. (championship)
Thursday
GAME 9 – If necessary championship, 1 p.m.
