via Oregon Tech Athletic Communications
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Jacob Cook hit a dramatic ninth inning 2-run homer to erase a 10-8 College of Idaho lead and Michael O’Daniel lined a walk-off sacrifice fly later in the frame, as Oregon Tech closed out the regular-season with an 11-10 victory at Steen Sports Park.
The Owls (24-26, 16-21 CCC) dropped today’s opener, 5-0, but the Game 2 win, along with two Corban losses at Eastern Oregon, clinched Tech the No. 5-seed in the Cascade Conference Championships – the fifth postseason appearance in six years. OIT will meet Bushnell on Friday in Lewiston, Idaho, with first pitch set for 11 a.m.
Tech built a 6-1 lead in the nightcap, as Jojo Roman delivered a second inning sacrifice fly and a 2-run fourth inning single, but the Yotes (29-19, 20-17) pulled within 6-5 in the sixth on a Jace Mahlke single. However, reliever Hayden Van Acker got a key strikeout with the bases loaded to end the threat.
Cal Pickhardt extended the lead with a sixth inning RBI single and Nick Gimino tripled home Chase Southern in the seventh to make it 8-5. C of I struck for five runs in the eighth – including a pair of runs off wild pitches, to take their first lead.
Down to their final three outs, Landon Cheney opened the ninth with a walk, and Cook smashed a fastball over the right field wall to even the score. Logan Williams lined a pinch-hit single, and Gimino reached on an error. Following an intentional walk, O’Daniel lined a ball into shallow right – with Williams sliding home ahead of the tag for the winning run.
Gimino was 4-for-5, with both Roman and Cook providing two hits.
Game 1 was dominated by C of I pitching, as lefty Calvin Euper and two relievers combined on a 1-hit shutout. Euper walked four and struck out seven in the win, allowing only a fifth-inning single by Pickhardt.
OIT starter Aiden Lundquist allowed just one run in six innings of work – a Mahlke RBI single in the fourth – but took the loss. C of I would add an unearned run n the seventh, add a Jack Ryan homer in the eighth, with Mahlke singling home two in the ninth – part of a 14-hit attack.
Prior to the game, OIT honored 14 senior student-athletes – with all 14 seeing game action during the 4-game series – including 12 in the Game 2 win.
