KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Despite scoring 10 runs and pounding out 22 hits, the College of Idaho could not counter a potent Oregon Tech offensive attack, as the No. 11 ranked Owls swept a doubleheader at the OIT Softball Complex.
Tech (27-8, 11-2 CCC) clubbed four home runs in a 13-5 Game 1 victory, and then rallied from a 4-1 deficit to grab Game 2, 8-5.
The two teams traded jabs early in the opener, as a second inning Kristin Paulazzo double scored Rickey Kamimae to give the Lady Yotes (13-21, 4-8) a 1-0 lead. OIT answered in the bottom of the frame as Katie Virtue gapped a two-run triple.
C of I regained the lead in the third on a Destiny Turner RBI double, but the Owls batted around for nine in the home half of the inning – getting three-run homers from Tasha Silvius and McKenzie Shrum, and a two-run blast from Tre Sullivan.
The Coyotes cut the margin to 11-4 in the fourth on RBI singles from Jodie Hoagland and Destiny Campbell, but a two-run Kayla Prock homer helped OIT close the game out due to the mercy rule.
Virtue was 3-for-4 with three RBI in the win for OIT – part of a 16-hit attack – with Campbell recording a pair of hits in the loss for C of I.
Game 2 saw the Coyotes strike early, as an Alexis Macias first inning RBI single gave the visitors a 1-0 lead. After OIT evened the score in the bottom of the frame on an RBI ground out, C of I plated three runs in the second – getting RBI singles from Campbell and Turner and an RBI double from Katie Rowe to take a 4-1 lead.
The hosts would not go away – tying the score with three runs in the second, and then taking the lead for good in the third on RBI singles from Virtue, Shrum, and Tara Moates.
Rylee Carleton allowed just one run in five-plus innings of relief to earn the win for Tech, with Moates going 4-for-4 with two RBI. C of I lost despite 13 hits, including three hits from both Campbell and Macias.
The Lady Yotes return to action on Tuesday, traveling to Eastern Oregon for a 3 p.m. (PT) doubleheader.
