Top-ranked Raiders gain split with nonconference Game 2 win over No. 2 Owls

ASHLAND — Top-ranked Southern Oregon earned an overall series split with No. 2 Oregon Tech on Wednesday, but not before the Owls took a critical Cascade Conference rubber match at University Field.

A four-run 10th inning made the Owls (25-5, 12-3 CCC) 5-1 winners in the third and final conference counter between the teams. The Raiders (31-3, 13-2) won 7-2 in the series finale, scoring six in a second inning that was highlighted by Sarah Kerling’s three-run triple.

Game 1 was the first 10-inning affair the Raiders had played in nine years, and aces Kacie Schmidt of OIT and Ayla Davies of SOU made it so by delivering in their second high-level duel in as many weeks. Schmidt shut out the Raiders until Kennedy Kila’s game-tying solo home run to lead off the seventh, and the only run Davies allowed through the first nine innings scored on a dropped popup in the sixth.

The Raiders had a potential winning run gunned down at the plate by right fielder Marla Goodspeed in the bottom of the seventh and stranded runners in scoring position in the eighth and ninth before tough defensive luck struck in the 10th. With one out and a runner at second base, Davies got Nita Cook to pop out in foul ground, but shortstop Sammie Pemberton tripped over third base on her way to retrieve it. That gave Cook a second chance, and two pitches later she sent a routine fly ball to center field that Sarah Kerling lost in the sun.

It went as a single, moving Zoe Allen to third base, and the next batter, Gina Allen, laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to plate the go-ahead run. Jayce Seavert came up next and drove a two-run triple that put the Owls firmly in control.

Schmidt finished off her complete game in the bottom of the 10th, surviving with a final line of 11 hits, four strikeouts and two walks on 133 pitches.

Katie Fodge picked the Raiders up in Game 2 with a strong start in which she went 5 2/3 innings, surrendering two runs to improve to 4-0. Tatiana Blas recorded the final four outs to get the save after coming on with the potential tying run on deck in a 6-2 game.

Kerling’s three-run triple came after the Raiders loaded the bases with two walks and Pemberton’s bunt single. Vanessa Lang tacked on an RBI single, and a throwing error enabled SOU to score two more unearned. The Raiders added another unearned run on OIT’s third error of the game in the sixth.

Kerling went 2-for-3 in the contest, while Allen went 3-for-3 and Nita Cook contributed her third and fourth hits of the day for theOwls.

Kennedy finished with four hits on the afternoon for SOU, including a double. The homer that sent the Raiders to extras in Game 1 was her first of the season.