SPRINGFIELD – Southern Oregon's offense scored 28 times in 10 innings and three Raider pitchers combined to hold Bushnell without an earned run through a rainy Cascade Conference-opening doubleheader Friday at Rich Schwab Field.
The top-ranked Raiders extended their winning streak to seven games and took their record to 13-1 overall, winning 13-3 and 15-0 in five innings each against the institution formerly known as Northwest Christian, as junior
Riley Donovan gave herself a rousing introduction to the circuit. After hitting two RBI doubles through the first two innings of Game 1, she cranked a grand slam that triggered the mercy rule in the fifth.
Heavy precipitation led to control issues for all parties, but
Gabby Sandoval worked around her six walks with five strikeouts. All three runs she surrendered were unearned in the fifth. Her record shot to 7-0.
Lauren Quirke went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs in the opener, then earned the Game 2 decision, improving to 5-1, by throwing the first three scoreless frames before giving way to
Hannah Stark, who struck out five in her two innings of work.
The Raiders drew 12 walks in Game 2 and scored 14 runs through the first two innings on just six hits – two-run doubles from Quirke and
Tayler Walker included. Walker went 2-for-2 with a couple runs scored.
Quirke,
Olivia Mackey and
Hannah Shimek scored four runs apiece on the day.
Allie Stines extended her hitting streak to 12 games with a double and a triple.
Donovan's grand slam was her second home run of the season. The Raiders' last grand slam had been
Paige Leeper's in the 2019 NAIA title game, and the one prior to that came off the bat of Donovan's sister,
Harlee Donovan, in the 2018 CCC Tournament.
The Raiders and Beacons (2-10) will play two more Saturday starting at 11 a.m.