CALDWELL, Idaho – The No. 10-ranked Southern Oregon University softball team took care of its own business and got a little help along the interstate as the Cascade Conference championship race tightened up and the regular-season finish line neared on Friday afternoon.
The Raiders, who entered the day in fourth place, erased a five-run deficit to defeat seventh-ranked College of Idaho 7-6 in Game 1, then thumped the Yotes 14-5 in Game 2 to clinch their fifth consecutive 40-win season.
The Raiders extended their winning streak to 11 games, improved to 40-10 overall and went to 20-6 in the CCC, pulling into a third-place tie with C of I (35-10 overall, 20-6 CCC). Meanwhile, Eastern Oregon (21-5 CCC) swept first-place Oregon Tech (22-4) in La Grande to leave the top-four teams in the standings separated by two CCC games with four left to play.
SOU and C of I will play two more on Saturday, a CCC counter at 10 a.m. Pacific Time followed by a non-conference contest.
The Raiders fell behind 6-1 in the opener, their only offense through four innings being
Riley Donovan's NAIA-leading 16th home run. They trimmed the deficit in the fifth with
Phelicity Fa'aita's three-run homer, then tied the score in the sixth on back-to-back RBI singles from Donovan and
Cayla Williams.
Jordan Henderson led off the seventh with a walk, and
Piper Love moved her over with a bunt single. After
Rylan Austin's sacrifice,
Lindsey Stripling drove in the go-ahead run with a groundout to shortstop.
Williams earned her 13th win, allowing four runs – and only one earned – in 6 1/3 innings. She, Donovan and Stripling had three hits apiece in the contest.
The Raiders tallied 17 hits in Game 2 and led 9-0 after 3 ½ innings. Austin and
Deja Acosta homered, Williams went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored, and Donovan was 2-for-3 with a two-run double and a sacrifice fly.
Acosta scored four runs and Stripling had three, giving three Raider pitchers – Fa'aita, Williams and
Mayze Menefee – plenty of wiggle room.
The Yotes had won seven straight games entering the day. The CCC series loss is just their second of the season.
