VANCOUVER, B.C. – Thanks to Kennedy Kila's dramatic extra-innings swing, the No. 1-ranked Southern Oregon softball team enjoyed another ultra-productive day in strengthening its Cascade Conference title chances.

In the Raiders' third and final CCC game against British Columbia, Kila broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the ninth inning with a two-run home run that ultimately delivered a 4-2 victory. SOU completed a four-game series sweep by taking the non-conference finale 3-2 after Sarah Kerling stroked a go-ahead RBI single in the fifth.

The Raiders (38-4 overall, 19-2 CCC) snatched sole possession of first place entering the final two weeks of the regular season, pairing their win with another Eastern Oregon loss to Carroll (Mont.). The Mountaineers came into the weekend a game up in the standings but dropped two of three to the Saints while without the services of star pitcher Kylie Parsons.

SOU's star pitcher, Ayla Davies, proved durable again through another nine-inning complete game in Saturday's opener. The freshman, who tossed her 13th shutout on Friday, gave up a two-run homer in the first inning to Shae Sever but blanked the Thunderbirds (13-15, 8-11) over the next eight frames of her six-hitter.

Trailing 2-0 in the sixth inning, the Raiders loaded the bases with one when they got a lift from UBC's defense. Brooke Nordahl grounded to the pitcher, Sever, who committed an error that enabled SOU's first run to score. The misplay also kept the inning alive for Kerling, who with two outs hit an RBI single on the infield.

The Raiders stranded runners in scoring position in the seventh and eighth innings, but Kila came through in the ninth with her second home run of the season. The shot made a winner out of Davies, who now owns three more victories than any other pitcher in the NAIA at 22-2.

Prior to Kila's homer, 11 of the Raiders' 13 runs in the series had been unearned. They capitalized on more sloppy defense in Game 2, where Avery Coffin led off the fifth inning in a 2-2 game by reaching on an error and scored the winning run two batters later on Kerling's hit. Faith Moultrie chased home their first runs of the game with a two-RBI single that tied the score in the second inning.

Kila earned the pitching decision – her second of the series to improve to 6-1 – by pitching six innings of scoreless, three-hit relief. Davies recorded the final two outs to earn the save, her sixth of the season. She now ranks second nationally in that category.

Kerling and Moultrie led the Raiders with three hits apiece on the day, while Sammie Pemberton reached base five times with two hits and three walks. Kerling extended her hitting streak to 11 games; Pemberton brought hers to 10.

The Raiders wrap up their regular season home schedule next week against No. 20-ranked and fourth-place College of Idaho, starting doubleheaders at 2 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m. Friday. After that, they travel to EOU for their final CCC series.