KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Kacie Schmidt tossed a 4-hit shutout with a season-high 11 strikeouts in the opener, with Oregon Tech recorded 13 hits in the nightcap, as the Lady Owls ran their win streak to 14 with a doubleheader sweep of Corban at Stilwell Stadium.
Battling snow flurries and gusty winds throughout the day, the No. 5-ranked Owls (22-6, 12-2 CCC) claimed 7-0 and 13-1 wins over the Warriors.
“I am so proud of the ladies battling in snow and wind, we have to be tough in the Basin and play in these conditions,” said OIT head coach Greg Stewart. “I thought we made key adjustments in Game 1 to their starting pitcher and got timely hits and as the day went on, we got better and better at bats.”
Tech took a 2-0 lead in the second inning of Game 1, as Jayce Seavert delivered an RBI double into the left field corner and scored on a base hit through the middle by Addison Kachnik.
Schmidt did the rest, holding the Warriors (1-29, 0-14) to four singles – recording her ninth career game with 10-or-more strikeouts – logging her seventh-straight win.
OIT broke the game open in the fifth – loading the bases on singles from Kachnik and Nita Cook, with Kaila Mick reaching on a 2-out error. Marla Goodspeed lined a base-hit off the glove of Corban’s pitcher Vanesa Quinones to score a run, while Puakea Milbourne followed with a dribbler to the circle – with Quinones throwing home late – as Cook scored and Mick followed behind her when the throw eluded catcher Alicia Chavez. Seavert capped the 5-run inning with a 2-run single.
Kachnik was 3-for-3 in the win for OIT, with Seavert going 2-for-3 with three RBI.
The Owls rolled to the Game 2 win – scoring 13 times in the first three innings.
Milbourne and Mckenzie Staub posted first inning RBI singles and Kachnik added a 2-run knock to give Tech a 4-0 first inning cushion. The Lady Owls doubled the lead in the second, as Cook and Staub each singled in a run and Milbourne smashed an opposite field 2-run homer.
OIT put the game away with a 5-run third, keyed by a 2-run Staub double off the left field wall.
Staub held Corban to three hits and an unearned run for her ninth win of the season, while going 3-for-3 with four RBI at the plate. Milbourne was 3-for-3 with four RBI, with Cook adding a 2-hit game.
The two teams close out the series tomorrow with a 12 p.m. doubleheader – as the game time was pushed back one hour in anticipation of cold morning temperatures.
