ASHLAND – No. 13-ranked Southern Oregon ended the regular season on a high note Saturday, becoming the first team to take two of three Cascade Conference games from Eastern Oregon before settling on a split of the overall series at University Field.
The Raiders won the third and final CCC counter, 4-3, behind
Katie Machado's stellar complete game and thanks in large part to some shaky EOU defense that enabled them to score a pair of unearned runs late. The Mountaineers claimed the non-conference finale, 7-3, by slugging 10 hits and keeping eight SOU baserunners stranded.
By winning the CCC series, the Raiders (34-15 overall, 20-7 CCC) prevented the Mountaineers (34-8, 22-5) from celebrating their first regular-season title since 1999. That trophy went to Oregon Tech, which will host next week's CCC Tournament after completing a sweep of College of Idaho to wrap up at 24-3 in circuit play.
EOU will be the No. 2 seed in the tourney. SOU will be the No. 3 seed if College of Idaho drops its final regular-season game Sunday against British Columbia, or the No. 4 seed if the Yotes force a tie in the standings with a victory.
Machado collected her second win of the series and 19th of the season by working through trouble again in Game 1, surrendering just two earned runs despite nine hits and three free passes on her line.
Piper Love's successful squeeze bunt in the first and
Hannah Clavelle's RBI single off the wall in the third gave her a 2-1 edge. With two out and two in scoring position in the fourth, Love struck out swinging but the pitch she chased landed in the dirt. Catcher Hannah Tyree's ensuing throw the first sailed high for EOU's fourth error of the contest, allowing both runners to score.
EOU cut into the 4-1 deficit in the seventh with Madison Olson's two-run homer before back-to-back slick plays at shortstop by
Sammie Pemberton clinched the win.
In Game 2, EOU catcher Karly Hanosky went 4-for-4 with two RBIs. Up 4-3 in the sixth, the Mountaineers stretched their lead with Brylin Field's two-run double and another RBI double from Addison Ribordy.
Natalie Dimitrov earned the decision by pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief.
Clavelle went 3-for-4 with a double and
Brooke Nordahl was 3-for-3 with an RBI triple for the Raiders.
Faith Moultrie and
Lina Sanchez added two hits apiece and
Kelly Ann McKeown stroked an RBI single.
The Raiders have still yet to lose a three-game CCC series at home since 2018.
The CCC Tournament begins next Friday. The field is set, and SOU will open against No. 5 seed British Columbia or No. 6 seed Carroll (Mont.) depending on Sunday's outcome.
