No. 5 Concordia Clinches CCC Title with Sweep of OIT
04.24.2010
Sara Coates Hit a Grand Slam today in Loss (photo by Kelly Caleb)  |
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. -- Oregon Tech was an obliging host and Concordia gladly accepted. The Cavaliers scored 11 unearned runs and rallied twice for a sweep over OIT Saturday to clinch the Cascade Collegiate Conference regular season softball championship. The losses dropped OIT to 11-9 in the league and into third place, one game behind Corban. Southern Oregon is 10-10, while The College of Idaho and Northwest Christian both still could reach the playoffs.
The Hustlin’ Owls have a chance to seal a playoff berth when they host SOU at 2 p.m. Monday at the OIT Softball Complex.
Hitting the ball as well as it did Saturday, Tech could be tough. OIT hit five home runs Saturday off the league’s best pitching staff, had 17 hits and gave itself a chance to win both games. “The whole team hit well,” Sara Coates said. “It was solid all-around.” Coates hit a grand slam home run to tie the score in the second game, and then gave the Owls their only lead of the nightcap with a double in the fifth inning.
Errors proved to be OIT’s unraveling. The fifth-rated Cavaliers scored nine unearned runs in the second game, and all but wrapped up the victory when Cameron Way hammered her second three-run home run of the day to cap a six-run sixth inning effort. Way’s three-run homer in the seventh lifted the Cavaliers to their first-game win, one in which errors paved the way for two unearned Concordia runs.“It’s frustrating,” OIT coach Greg Stewart said. “I’ll take a two-run lead into the seventh inning any day. We just didn’t make the pitches. We didn’t get it done.”
Concordia’s potent batting lineup was part of OIT’s problem, and with 27 hits was able to take advantage of Hustlin’ Owl mistakes. Still, OIT had its chances. The Owls had three runners thrown out at home in the second game, all before Concordia erupted for its final six runs. “We played well,” Coates said. “We didn’t let them have it. We battled well as a team. Now, every game matters.” “Pretty much,” Stewart said.
After its Tuesday games against Southern,
After Monday’s doubleheader with SOU, OIT will complete league play Sunday, May 2, at Concordia.
The Hustlin’ Owls also will complete their home schedule with a non- league doubleheader against Simpson University Monday, May 3. The Red Hawks were ranked No. 26 in the most recent NAIA national poll.
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