KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Tyler Horner went 4-for-5 with his league-leading 14th home run and three RBI, leading Oregon Tech to a 15-6 victory over Simpson University at Steen Sports Park.
The Hustlin’ Owls (30-16) completed a series sweep of the Redhawks – securing Tech their third-straight 30-win season and fourth 30-win season in program history.
SU (19-27) held early leads of 4-0 and 5-1 – as Logan Gomes smashed a 2-run homer in the first and added a second inning RBI double – but OIT had an answer.
Horner cut the margin to 4-2 in the third with a long solo home run and took the lead in the fourth with a 6-run inning. Matthew Ortiz lined a 2-run single off the center field wall to cut the deficit to 5-4 and Ka’ala Tam gave the Owls the lead for good with an RBI infield single.
Tam extended the OIT lead to 10-6 in the sixth with a mammoth solo homer to left center, with Horner adding an RBI single in the seventh and a run-scoring double in the eighth.
Three Hustlin’ Owl relievers – Brian McClelland, Riley Cronin and Drake Aboud – combined for six innings of one run ball, holding the Redhawks to four hits, one walk and five strikeouts.
Ortiz finished 3-for-5 with four runs scored a pair of RBI, Tam knocked in three with a pair of hits, with Julien Jones and Dane Bradshaw each adding two hits. Gomes finished 2-for-4 with three RBI for the Redhawks and Dylan Leak added a 2-for-4 afternoon.
OIT closes out the regular-season this weekend – hosting Corban in a 4-game series. Saturday’s doubleheader is Alumni Day, as the Owls welcome back their baseball alums, while Sunday’s doubleheader is Senior Day, as Tech honors the seven senior student-athletes playing their final home games.
