Raiders raise their record to 17-1 with doubleheader sweep of Division II Yellowjackets

ASHLAND — Fourteen different Raiders cracked the hit column during No. 4-ranked Southern Oregon’s doubleheader sweep of Montana State Billings on Monday afternoon, 11-3 and 11-3 in six innings and five at University Field.

The first two batters in SOU’s lineup, Vanessa Lang and Kailer Fulton, recorded five hits apiece with multiple in both games. Lang, a junior second baseman, tripled twice, doubled once, scored five runs and drove in one. Fulton, a senior left fielder, scored six runs, had three RBIs and stole three bases.

The Raiders upped their record to 17-1. The Yellowjackets, NCAA Division II members of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, fell to 3-11. The teams were meeting for the first time ever.

Ayla Davies earned her NAIA-leading 12th victory in the opener with a season-high 12 strikeouts and no walks in another complete game. The Raiders put her in front with three first-inning runs. Fulton, Lang, Sarah Kerling, Sammie Pemberton and Ari Williams logged two hits apiece, and Williams finished with two runs and two RBIs.

The Raiders fell behind 3-2 in Game 2 before posting five runs in the third inning, a rally capped by Avery Coffin’s two-run single. Lang and Fulton were both 3-for-3, while Piper Love went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.

SOU put the run rule in effect for the second time on the day and the sixth time this season thanks to run-scoring singles from Gabby Heiken and Hailey Seva in the fifth.

Mayze Menefee went three innings in the circle to earn the decision, improving to 3-0. Kila Kennedy pitched two scoreless innings of relief.

The Raiders jump back into their Cascade Conference schedule with a four-game series at Carroll (Mont.) this weekend.