Washington State loaded the bases on an intentional walk to Taylor Ard and OSU reliever Matt Boyd got Derek Jones to foul out to third for the second out of the inning. Jones hit a 1-0 pitch from Boyd over the left center fence to win the game.

Tyler Smith had tied the game for the Beavers in the ninth on a two-out double down the left field line.

Danny Hayes led the Beavers offensively with three hits and extended his hit streak to eight games in the process.

Hayes homered for the second consecutive game in the first inning to put the Beavers up 2-0, then singled home Oregon State’s (34-18 overall, 14-12 Pac-12 Conference) third run of the game with a single in the third. He also singled in the eighth to tally his third hit of the game.

Jake Rodriguez drove in the Beavers’ fourth run of the game in the sixth with a single to left.

Jace Fry made the start for the Beavers, and did not get the decision after allowing five runs and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings. He allowed three runs in the first – two on a single by Taylor Ard and a third on a groundout by Tommy Richards.

Washington State (26-25, 11-15) took a 4-3 lead in the fourth on a passed ball then retook the lead in the sixth, 5-4, when Jason Monda singled home PJ Jones from second.

J.D. Leckenby started for the Cougars and did not figure in the decision after scattering six hits and four runs in six innings.

The loss went to Scott Schultz, who was responsible for two of the four runners on the grand slam. He dropped to 3-1 this season.

Anthony Drobnick, who allowed Smith’s double in the top half of the ninth, picked up the win to improve to 4-2 this season.

Jones, Monda and Kyle Johnson all had two hits for the Cougars.

Oregon State and Washington State play the series finale Sunday at Bailey-Brayton Field. First pitch is scheduled for noon (11:30 a.m. – 960 the Sports Legend).

Oregon Tech errors aided a quick start for Shorter. Southern States Athletic Conference Player of the Year Jackie Castaneda kept fouling off pitches from OIT starter Taylor Schmidt, extending an at bat that ended with a walk. Amanda Dailey’s double to right-center field, the first of three doubles for Shorter on the day, scored Castaneda.

After Oregon Tech earned the second out catching Emily Clements stealing, Brooke Bryan reached on an error by Owls third baseman Jess Plummer, allowing Dailey to score and Shorter led 2-0.

Following a single, conference freshman of the year Maddie Bray hit a double that was nearly caught by OIT right fielder Sara Coates, but fell out of her glove at the end. The play scored another run, making the Shorter lead 3-0.

Oregon Tech head coach Greg Stewart argued Coates was showing the ball to the umpire when it slipped out. If the play had been ruled an out, the inning would have ended with Shorter holding a 2-0 lead. It didn’t.

Aided by another Oregon Tech error, Shorter went on to score two more runs to end the first inning with a 5-0 lead and getting Schmidt out of the game. Schmidt became Oregon Tech’s all-time leader in wins for a pitcher in a single season earlier in the tournament.

Oregon Tech tried to answer the very next inning, getting Schmidt on base when she hit by a pitch and moving her to third when Kayde Schaefer picked up her first hit of the tournament on a double. Shorter starting pitcher Bray went on to strike out the next three batters in a row and the Owls came up scoreless.

It wasn’t until fifth inning that OIT mustered a run. Janelle Cromie hit a double and then later scored after a Melissa Logan ground out followed by a passed ball.

Logan pitched in relief of Schmidt to a line of 3 1/3 innings, allowing just three hits and preventing any more runs. Schmidt took the loss, later returning for a total of 2 2/3 innings allowing five hits and only one earned run.

Coates finished the tournament with a hit in each game. Senior Amber Knight played for the second straight game, coming in early to play left field. Fellow senior Ashleigh Larson helped with a inning-ending double play that kept OIT’s chances alive.

Oregon Tech is now 10-2 in the NAIA tournament in the last two seasons.

Shorter (49-11) will go on to Monday’s eight-team double-elimination tournament.

The win puts Oregon Tech in a position to “win and get in” against Shorter (Ga.) on Saturday (Noon – 960 the Sports Legend). A victory will advance the Owls to the eight-team double-elimination NAIA Softball National Championship bracket starting Monday.

It was really more a pitcher’s duel despite a moderately good scoring game. Taylor Schmidt won her 27th game of the season, having already become Oregon Tech’s all-time single-season wins leader on Thursday. Devon Fraizer of St. Gregory’s persevered after OIT scored three runs in the opening inning on three hits and one error.

Fraizer went the next six innings allowing just two hits and was not charged with an earned run in the game. The first inning error allowed Ashleigh Larson to reach base plus advance Shauna Collins to third after Collins hit a lead off double.

Eventually both were hit in by Schmidt and later Sara Coates brought home Danielle Sayres who was pinch running for Schmidt.

The Owls didn’t allow a run until the sixth inning despite being outhit 6-5 in the game. Allison Conyers came into pinch hit for St. Gregory’s, getting a single and later scoring when HayLea Harper hit into a fielder’s choice.

In the top of the seventh, trailing 3-1, St. Gregory’s saw Christen Gutierrez smack a lead off triple, her first extra base hit of the season in over 19 at bats. The early momentum didn’t produce as much as St. Gregory’s may have hoped because the next two batters were put down, keeping Gutierrez at third. After Caitlin O’Hagan singled to score the run, Kristen Wehmeyer grounded out and Oregon Tech won.

A tough moment in the bottom of the fourth for junior Elise Goodell, playing with a torn ACL. Hitting a slow roller to second base, Goodell tried to beat the throw to first. Goodell said she felt a buckle as her leg touched the base and she fell to her back. She was carried off the field by trainer Kelly Caleb and Larson and is on crutches at the team hotel.

The Owls (41-7) now play Shorter on Saturday at Noon Pacific Time. With a win, Oregon Tech will be back into the “elite eight” for the second time in school history. St. Gregory’s (43-16) cannot move out of pool play, finishing against Madonna (Mich.) on Saturday morning.