KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – A 12-hit attack was not enough for Oregon Tech, as the Lady Owls dropped a Cascade Conference Tournament semifinal match-up with Southern Oregon at Stilwell Stadium.
OIT (43-9) saw their string of 3-straight league tournament titles snapped in a 6-3 decision to their rivals – as the Raiders used a 4-run fifth inning rally to break open a scoreless game. SOU would go on to lose the title game, as Eastern Oregon claimed their first CCC title since 2016 with a 5-4 victory in the championship game.
Tech had chances in each of the first six innings, recording at least one hit in every frame – but SOU (37-17) starter Katie Machado pitched to soft contact – not allowing a runner to third base until the seventh.
Southern broke through in the fifth, loading the bases with no outs on an infield single and two OIT errors on sacrifice attempts. Pinch-hitter Kennedy Kila delivered a 2-run single, Hailey Seva lifted a sacrifice fly, with a fourth run scoring on an OIT throwing error.
The Raiders would extend the lead to 6-0 in the sixth on a Kelly Ann McKeown sacrifice fly and a Kailer Fulton RBI single.
The hosts made noise in the seventh, as Kaila Mick doubled home a run and Lexi Klum followed with a 2-out, 2-run single. With the tying run on deck, Brooke Nordahl robbed Jayce Seavert of a hit with a diving stop at second to end the game.
Zoe Allen was 3-for-4 in the loss, with Klum, Seavert and Mick all recording two hits. Mick tied SOU’s Kelsey Randall (2015-18) for the CCC all-time career hits record with 336.
Faith Moultrie was 2-for-2 with a triple and two runs scored, Nordahl and Piper love each adding two hits for the Raiders.
In the title game, EOU’s Hannah Tyree hit a 2-run fifth inning homer to break a 3-3 tie, with the Mountaineers stranding the tying run at third in the seventh to claim the crown.
OIT will learn tomorrow afternoon the four teams that will be traveling to Klamath Falls for next week’s NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round – with tournament play set to begin on Monday afternoon.
