KLAMATH FALLS – For the second time in three weeks, the Southern Oregon University softball team split a doubleheader with top-ranked Oregon Tech on another drama-packed afternoon Wednesday at Stillwell Stadium.
The Owls claimed the three-game Cascade Conference portion of the series by winning Game 1 5-4 in extra innings on Jayce Seavert's one-out RBI single in the eighth. The Raiders, ranked No. 9 in Wednesday latest NAIA Top 25 coaches' poll, evened the overall series by winning the non-conference finale 2-1, pushing across the tying run in the sixth and the go-ahead run in the seventh on
Abbi Covalt's two-out infield single.
The loss left the Raiders (30-10 overall, 12-6 CCC) 5 ½ games behind the first-place Owls (34-7, 19-2) and two back of College of Idaho and Eastern Oregon, which are tied in second place.
SOU – which on March 23 in Ashland lost 8-7 to the Owls before rallying back from a five-run deficit to defeat them 11-7 – executed another comeback against ace Sarah Abramson in Game 1 but couldn't finish the deal. Trailing 4-1 after the first inning, the Raiders loaded the bases on three walks in the fifth and
Ashton Cathey cleared them with a three-run double that tied the score.
Freshman pitcher
Mayze Menefee kept them in the game with 6 2/3 innings of excellent relief, but the Owls finally got to her in the eighth. There, McKenna Armantrout and Maggie Buckholz set the table with back-to-back singles before Seavert delivered the decisive blow.
Phelicity Fa'aita came through for SOU in Game 2, allowing just five hits and one run over six innings to earn the win and improve to 8-2.
Cayla Williams, after being knocked out in the first inning of Game 1, worked a perfect seventh to get the save.
The Raider lineup got its first run against OIT starter McKenzie Staub in the sixth, which
Sarah Kerling led off with a base hit.
Deja Acosta then laid down a bunt and reached on an error, and with two outs – two batters after Kerling was thrown out at home on a grounder to shortstop – Fa'aita plated Acosta with a single.
Cathey led off the seventh with a single, moved into scoring position on a bunt, and Covalt took advantage of a pinch-hit opportunity by driving Cathey home.
The Raiders finished their 10-game road trip with a 7-3 record. They'll be back home this weekend, hosting Warner Pacific in doubleheaders at 2 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday.
