CALDWELL, Idaho – Southern Oregon center fielder
Ari Williams tallied six hits against College of Idaho on Saturday, none bigger than a Cascade Conference series-swinging home run in extra innings at Symms Field.
After splitting on Friday, the top-ranked Raiders claimed both ends of their second doubleheader against the Yotes – an 8-6, nine-inning affair in the third and final CCC counter of the series, followed by a 9-3 decision in the non-conference finale.
SOU upped its record to 19-7 overall and 3-3 in the CCC. The Yotes dipped to 12-10 and 1-5.
In Game 1, the Raiders forced a tie in the sixth as
Elysia Duarte led off with a single, moved to third on an error and came home on
Lexi Ramirez's sacrifice fly. The score stayed at 2-2 until the eighth, where the Raiders scored two in the top half and the Yotes matched them in the bottom of the inning. With one on in the top of the ninth, Williams fortuitously missed on a couple of sac-bunt attempts before launching a two-strike delivery over the fence in straightaway center.
The Raiders added two unearned runs before Ramirez held off C of I in the bottom of the ninth, completing a five-inning relief stint to earn the decision.
Kalea Thomas went 3-for-4 with two walks, an RBI and a run scored in the contest, and
Avery Coffin was 3-for-5 with two RBIs.
Williams had three hits in both outings, going for a double, three runs and two RBIs in Game 2.
Vanessa Lang joined her with three hits, three runs and a pair of stolen bases.
SOU put up five runs in the first inning, a rally capped by
Kierstin Grotewiel's fly ball to the wall that went into left fielder Madelyn Powell's glove before bouncing out and over the fence to plate two. It was scored as a four-base error.
Tatiana Blas earned her third win, allowing three runs over five innings.
Ayla Davies threw two perfect innings in relief after yielding two earned runs over four frames as the Game 1 starter.
The Raiders finished the day with 23 hits and turned eight Yotes errors into eight unearned runs.
SOU is back home next week, facing British Columbia in doubleheaders at 2 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday at Laurel Park.
