News

Oregon Tech Settles for Split in NAIA West Play

03.31.2012

Ryan Grant went 4-for-4 with two doubles and a RBI in 6-1 game 1 win.

MEDFORD, Ore. – Aaron Jorgensen allowed just five hits and struck out five in eight innings, as the Oregon Tech baseball team took game 1 over Simpson by a 6-1 final. Simpson would rebound in the nightcap taking the 11 inning game by a 3-2 final.

Oregon Tech moves to 14-18 overall and even in NAIA West action at 7-7. Simpson is 17-20 overall and 4-13 in conference play. The teams close out the four game series beginning at noon tomorrow at Charter Field in Medford.

In game 1 Tech’s Dustin Norman connected for a two-run blast to left field to put the Owls up 2-0 in the third inning. Kory Locken singled in the fifth to drive in Ryan Grant, who earlier doubled, as the Owls held a 3-0 advantage over SU.

A two out dropped fly ball pushed an unearned run across for the Red Hawk to make it a 3-1 contest in the top of the seventh inning.

Locken added another RBI after a triple drove in Grant, who led off the seventh inning with a double, while Kevin Shulemson followed with a RBI single to make it 5-1. The Owls tacked on their final run in the eighth inning when Grant single in Alex Reynolds, as Tech took the game 6-1.

Grant finished 4-for-4 with two doubles and a RBI, with Dustin Norman finishing with a pair of hits, including a homerun and two RBI. Kory Locken and Zack Earle recorded two hits each with Locken a triple and two runs driven in.

In game 2 Simpson struck first with a run on three singles to open up the first inning.

Ryan Hayden’s sacrifice fly for the Owls scored Locken, who walked and reached third on a wild pitch, to tie the game at 1-1.

It went scoreless until the sixth inning with Simpson moving up 2-1 on a two out double.

Matthew Miller opened up the Owl sixth with a leadoff triple and scored on Kevin Shulemson’s double to make it 2-2 after six complete.

Simpson put together a rally in the eight after a pair of singles put SU runners on first and second with two out, however, Codey Barrett, in for relief of starter Brandon Allen, got the first batter he faced to ground out to end the inning.

The teams remained scoreless through regulation play before Simpson added a run in the 11^th inning after a one out walk eventually turned in to a run as the Red Hawks led 3-2 with Tech coming to bat.

Dylan Rogers walked for the Owls with two outs, but a ground out would end the game, as SU took game 2 by the same 3-2 final.

Oregon Tech recorded five hits, all singles, with Shulemson and Hayden adding RBI’s in game 2.