ASHLAND – Three strong pitching outings and 24 total hits led to the Southern Oregon University softball team's 2-1, 11-2 sweep of Hope International (Calif.) on Wednesday at University Field, bringing the Raiders' perfect record to 6-0.

SOU strung together three hits for the only two runs it needed in the fourth inning of the opener, helping Sydney White (Clovis, Calif./Clovis West) to a win after she battled through four frames in which Hope International left nine runners on base. Brianne Craig (Rialto, Calif./Etiwanda) tossed three scoreless innings for the save.

In Game 2, Kelsey Randall (Concord, Calif./Concord) lined a go-ahead, two-run double off the shortstop in the second inning and the Raiders piled on from there. Cheyenne Bricker (Bieber, Calif./Big Valley) got through five innings on the mound – allowing two runs on four hits with four strikeouts – and Craig threw a scoreless sixth before the game ended in the bottom of the inning on the mercy rule when Ally Painter (La Palma, Calif./St. Joseph) doubled in two runs.

Painter went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, two runs and an additional double in the nightcap, Alexa Gonzalez (Menifee, Calif./Heritage) tripled and singled for two runs and an RBI, Kayla Douglas (Santa Rosa, Calif./Cardinal Newman) went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Randall had two hits and two runs.

Hope International (4-2) struck first in the opener, taking a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Jocelyn Young came around after her leadoff double.

In the bottom of the inning, Gina Ayala (Norwalk, Calif./Santa Fe) hit a one-out single and came around to score when Douglas's single to left field was misplayed. Gonzalez extended the rally with a single and Douglas scored the go-ahead run on Tyler Burke (Lakewood, Calif./Lakewood)'s groundout. 

Ayala, Burke and Gonzalez stroked two hits apiece in the game, and Burke and Cortney Nolan (Twin Falls, Idaho/Twin Falls) both doubled.

White went to 2-0 with her win and Bricker improved to 3-0.

The Raiders will play six games on Friday and Saturday at the Simpson (Calif.) Tournament. They'll play two Sunday at Chico State, then return home next Wednesday to face British Columbia.