Janelle Cromie Scores Oregon Tech's Only Run in 5-1 Loss  |
(Gulf Shores, Ala.) Shorter (Ga.) scored 5 runs (1 earned) in the first inning to defeat the defending NAIA Champions 5-1. Shorter wins Pool G with 3-0 record and will play on Monday at 10 a.m. against Pool B winner in double-elimination action. Defending National Champion Oregon Tech’s season ends with a 41-8 record with a 2-1 record in pool play.
Shorter (Ga.) starting pitcher Maddie Bray was impressive, throwing all 7-innings, giving up just 1-run and only 3-hits to pick up the win.
The Lady Hawks, in the midst of their sixth straight appearance in the NAIA Softball National Championship, won their pool for the third straight season. Oregon Tech (41-8) was denied a chance to become only the third repeat national softball champion in NAIA history after embarking on a surprising run to the title in 2011.
The Lady Hawks jumped on Oregon Tech’s starting pitcher Taylor Schmidt who had allowed just three earned runs through her first 14 innings in pool play. Schmidt didn't make it out of the first as Amanda Dailey and Maddie Bray hit RBI doubles and Whitney Hood and Kellee Stone hit two-out RBI singles to put Shorter up 5-0. The Lady Hawks sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning.
Oregon Tech's best chance to get to Bray came immediately following Shorter's big bottom of the first as Schmidt was hit by a pitch to lead off the Owls' second and Kayde Schaefer followed with a double to put runners on second and third with no outs. Bray recovered however, recording three straight strikeouts to keep Oregon Tech off the scoreboard and set the tone for her 16th win of the year.
Oregon Tech got on the board in the fifth when Janelle Cromie doubled and then scored on a passed ball, but that was all the Owls could manage off of Bray.
Shorter's eight hits were spread among eight different players. Bray, Dailey and Jackie Castaneda each hit doubles for Shorter, which for the second straight tournament game played error free in the field.
Schmidt reentered the game late and took the loss after allowing five runs on five hits in 2.2 innings of work and finishes the season at 27-5 setting a new school record for wins.
Oregon Tech's Sara Coates is now 5 for 7 in 2-games at the tournament.(Photo by Kelly Caleb)  |
(Gulf Shores, Ala.) – Oregon Tech scored three first inning runs and then held on to down up-set minded St. Gregory’s (Okla.) in 2nd round pool play action in the NAIA National Tournament being played at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.
Oregon Tech, now 2-0 in Pool G, plays Shorter (Ga.) on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. PDT. St. Gregory’s, now 0-2 in Pool G, plays Madonna (Mich.) on Saturday.
Oregon Tech got on the scoreboard scoring 3-runs on 3-hits all un-earned in the bottom of the first inning. Shauna Collins doubled, and then Ashleigh Larson reached on an error to put runners on the corners with no outs. After Jess Plummer popped out, Larson then stole second base. Starting pitcher Taylor Schmidt helped herself out with a big 2-run single that scored Collins from third and Larson from second to give OIT the early 2-0 lead. Tech would add one more run on a Sara Coates RBI single to make it a 3-0 game.
The Hustlin’ Owls would only pick up 2 more hits the rest of the game as Devon Frazier settled in for St. Gregory’s striking out 7 Oregon Tech batters.
The Cavaliers finally broke through in the 6th inning, taking advantage of on Oregon Tech throwing error to score one run on one hit to make it a 3-1 game.
After Oregon Tech went down in order in the top of the 7th inning, St. Gregory’s seemed poised to make it a game with a leadoff triple from pinch-hitter Christen Gutierrez. After the next two batters were retired by Schmidt, Caitlin O’Hagen singled to left scoring Gutierrez from third and that put the tying run on first base. Schmidt would then get Kristen Wehmeyer to ground out to third to end the game as Oregon Tech won a nail-biter 3-2.
Sara Coates continued to swing a hot bat for Oregon Tech going 2 for 3 with an RBI, Coates is now 5 for 7 in two games at the tournament.
Taylor Schmidt pitched well for Tech spreading out 6-hits and 2-runs, 1-earned to pick up her 27th win of the season.
Frazier was the tough luck looser picking up the loss as she allowed only 5-hits and no earned runs over 6 innings for St. Gregory’s.
Taylor Schmidt Breaks Single Season Wins Record with Her 26th in 5-2 Win (Photo by Kelly Caleb)  |
Gulf Shores, Ala. – The Defending NAIA Champion Oregon Tech Hustlin’ Owls struggled early but came back strong to down Madonna (Mich.) 5-2 in the first round of pool G action at the NAIA Softball National Championship on Thursday. The event is being held at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex for the second straight year.
Taylor Schmidt tossed a two-run, four-hitter in picking up her 26th win of the season, breaking the Oregon Tech single season record of 25 wins set last year by Jackie Imhof. Oregon Tech picked up its 40th win of the season against just 7 losses and will play St. Gregory’s (Okla.) tomorrow at 10:00 am (PDT) in Round 2 of Pool G play. St. Gregory’s lost to Shorter (Ga.) 5-2 Thursday in the other pool play game.
The Crusaders scored twice in the bottom of the 1st inning on a 2-run homerun off the bat of shortstop Jackie Barley to take an early 2-0 lead.
Oregon Tech’s Taylor Schmidt would make it a 2-1 game after hitting the first pitch she saw in the top of the 2nd inning over the left field fence.
The game would remain scoreless until the top of the 6th when Oregon Tech would explode for 4 runs, highlighted by a Janelle Cromie 2-run homerun over the left field wall. OIT would add two more runs on four more hits to take the lead 5-2.
Madonna would manage only 1-hit over the last 2-innings as Tech won 5-2.
Oregon Tech was led by Sara Coates who had 3-hits with Ashleigh Larson, Jess Plummer and Melissa Logan each adding 2-hits in the win.