WORLD SERIES CENTRAL | BRACKET

COLUMBUS, Ga. – Two years after going head-to-head for the national championship, Cascade Conference rivals Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech will meet in the NAIA World Series again Saturday at the South Commons Softball Complex.

First pitch between the No. 4-seeded Raiders (47-12 overall) and the top-seeded Owls (51-8) is scheduled for 1 p.m. Pacific Time. The winner will move within two victories of a title in the double-elimination bracket, advancing to play at 4 p.m. Monday, and the loser will need to win five consecutive elimination games starting at 1 p.m. Monday.

SOU opened the tournament Thursday with a 5-1 win over No. 5 seed Georgia Gwinnett, getting both a grand slam and a complete game two-hitter from senior Cayla Williams. OIT then set up the matchup by defeating No. 8 seed Central Methodist (Mo.) 4-1 on Friday afternoon.

The Owls swept the four-game regular season series with the Raiders on their way to a CCC title. They also took a 7-6 decision on May 7 in the CCC Tournament, walking the Raiders off with a three-run seventh inning.

The teams had never met in the World Series until the 2021 championship round, where SOU won back-to-back games, the second in extra innings, to celebrate its second national title.