KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Two-straight conference titles, three-straight conference tournament titles, four-straight trips to the NAIA Softball World Series – the run for the Oregon Tech softball team has been stellar. However, one thing that has eluded the squad was a national title – falling to rival Southern Oregon twice in the championship game – including last season.
Fast forward to 2024, as the Lady Owls return seven starters and a pair of pitchers that combined for 53 of the school and conference-record 54 wins. The experience led Tech to be picked to win the CCC title by the league coaches, while the team was ranked No. 1 in the preseason NAIA Top-25 poll.
“I couldn’t be more excited as a coach,” said OIT head coach Greg Stewart. “It’s so exciting when a team comes together like this one has and knowing the experience they have which matters. But at the same time, we have things this group of young ladies are striving to improve on every day.”
The Owls lose just three players from the 2023 roster – reserve outfielders Maddie Deverna and Jensen Becker, along with consensus first-team All-American, Maggie Buckholz. Buckholz will be tough to replace – coming off a season where she hit a team-leading .413 with 10 homers and 71 RBI.
“It’s always going to tough to fill the shoes of an All-American,” the 20th-year head coach said. “Maggie put up some of the best single-season numbers of any player I’ve ever coached. She had a phenomenal senior year and more importantly, was a great leader on and off the field.”
Despite losing Buckholz in right field, Tech returns all-conference selections at the other two spots. Junior left fielder Zoe Allen had a breakout season – hitting .385 with 29 RBI and 22 stolen bases – while senior center fielder Lexi Klum was a key cog in the middle of the order, hitting .341 with 14 doubles, a school-record nine triples and 44 RBI.
“Having Lexi back in center field as a senior with experience and Zoe in left who was our spark plug in the lead off role is key and bodes well for our offense,” Stewart said. “We’ll have someone new in right field – but having the experience around her makes a big difference.”
That right field spot will feature Malia Mick, a former 4A All-State selection at Henley High – who was used primarily as a pinch runner in 2023. The Owls will also have two-sport athlete, Olivia Sprague, firmly in the mix as a true utility player – once the OIT basketball season is over. Sprague hit .333 as a sophomore and played both corner infield positions and the outfield.
“People know Olivia is an All-American guard for our basketball team, but most don’t know that she is a really good softball player,” Stewart said. “She has been behind upperclassmen the last two years, but once basketball is over, we expect her to come help us in a big way.”
Last season, Tech had to replace 3-of-4 infield positions due to graduation. This year, all four starters return around the horn – a huge key for the squad.
Anchoring the group is 5-year starter, Kaila Mick, a dominant offensive and defensive threat. The grad student is a 2-time All-American, a 3-time All-Cascade Conference pick and ranks about the all-time Top-10 in most categories. In 2023, she hit .387 with 48 RBI and 25 stolen bases, recording 26 multi-hit games.
“Kaila is that steady force in our lineup and has such a great glove,” Stewart said. “She is a fierce competitor and a leader and I am excited to watch her final year with the Owls.”
Three sophomores look to build off outstanding rookie campaigns. First baseman Puakea Milbourne earned NAIA Gold Glove honors after recording 426 defensive chances without an error, while hitting .320 with 37 RBI. Nita Cook took the second base spot and ran with it, hitting .336 with 35 RBI and 18 stolen bases, while leading all CCC second basemen with a .970 fielding percentage. Addison Kachnik was the everyday third baseman and was an anchor defensively, while hitting .284 with five homers and 34 RBI.
“I didn’t have a crystal ball to know that all three freshmen infielders would play so well,” Stewart said. “Addison, Puakea and Nita were difference makers as freshmen and to see them have the success and the experience they gained last year – they’ll be able to build off and they are already much improved from where they were last season.”
Tech hopes the success of their battery from 2023 will spill over into 2024 – as the Owls had one of the best pitcher-catcher combinations in all of NAIA softball.
Behind the plate, Jayce Seavert, a 2-time All-CCC pick, returns after ranking among the NAIA leaders in caught-stealing percentage (throwing out 42-percent of base stealers) – while hitting .301 with 44 RBI. She’ll be backed up by junior Marla Goodspeed, who impressed in limited action in 2023, hitting .438 with seven RBI.
“It is great to have a catcher like Jayce who shuts down the opponents running game,” Stewart said. “She has such a great arm and receives the ball so well. We hope that we’ll be able to give her a break from time-to-time so she can focus just on hitting and to have someone like Marla, who has been a great team player for two seasons and is coming off a great fall season – we feel good about her seeing time behind the plate.”
In the circle – all four pitchers from 2023 – including two All-Americans, as OIT boasts one of the deepest pitching staffs in the NAIA.
Junior Kacie Schmidt had a breakout 2023 season, earning first-team All-America and CCC Pitcher of the Year honors. Schmidt finished the season with a 29-2 record and a 1.76 ERA, striking out 195 batters. Senior Mckenzie Staub, a 2022 All-American, was an anchor in the postseason – picking up two wins at the NAIA World Series, finishing the year 24-7 with a 1.90 ERA and 143 strikeouts. Both players are also strong with the bat, each hitting above .300 and combining for 33 RBI.
Junior Jenna Gorden and sophomore Carli Moore both earned key experience last year in a reliever role. Gorden had a 3.06 ERA in nine appearances and Moore logged a 2.10 ERA in six chances – with both have quality fall campaigns.
“It’s crucial at our level if you want to be a Top-10 team you have to have pitching depth,” Stewart said. “When you have two good pitchers like we have in Kenzie and Kacie – it’s great to have a 1-A and 1-B situation in the circle, because one can start and the other can come in relief. We also have the luxury of having some really good pitchers that are waiting in the wings. Our pitching staff isn’t satisfied. They’re working hard, they’re trying to get stronger and get better at what they do.
OIT has just one new player on their roster – hard-throwing right-handed pitcher Alli Parker. Parker is a 2-time all-state selection from Bend High, striking out 153 batters in 72 innings.
“Alli has the potential to be a true difference maker as she matures in her career – she doesn’t have to come in and give us a ton of innings right away.”
The Owls will open the season with a home doubleheader vs. Division III Pacific (Feb. 4), before making road trips to Phoenix (Feb. 8-10) and Redding (Feb. 17) and Sacramento (Feb. 23-24) to close out the non-conference schedule. Tech will start the Cascade Conference schedule on March 1 at Eastern Oregon.