VANCOUVER, B.C. – Nita Cook went 5-for-8 on the day, extending a hit streak to 17, helping Oregon Tech close out their road swing to Canada, sweeping British Columbia, 6-0 and 2-0 at Collings Field.
The Lady Owls (29-7, 15-3 CCC) clinched a spot in the 6-team Cascade Conference Championships with their Game 1 victory behind a 4-hit shutout from Kacie Schmidt.
Cook led off the game with a single and scored on a 2-out RBI single from Lexi Klum. The score would remain 1-0 until the seventh – as Schmidt stranded the tying or go-ahead UBC (17-16, 9-8) runners in each of the first six frames.
OIT broke the game open in the seventh – loading the bases with no outs. Zoe Allen and Kaila Mick delivered RBI singles, with Klum and Puakea Milbourne adding RBI ground outs.
Cook was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Malia Mick was 2-for-3.
In the nightcap, three OIT pitchers combined on a 4-hit shutout – with Mckenzie Staub earning her 11th win with five-plus innings of work. Alli Parker got the final two outs of the sixth, with Schmidt working a 1-2-3 seventh for her second save.
Cook started the game with a blast, roping her fifth home run of the season. Milbourne added to the lead later in the inning, scoring Allen from second base with an RBI double.
Kaila Mick was 2-for-3 and Cook finished 2-for-4 in the win.
OIT returns to the Basin next weekend, hosting Warner Pacific in a 4-game series.
