via Oregon Tech Athletic Communications
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Kacie Schmidt shook off a rough opener to toss a 2-hit shutout in Game 2, as Oregon Tech opened a 6-game homestand with a wild doubleheader split with British Columbia at Stilwell Stadium.
The No. 2-ranked Lady Owls (26-6, 13-4 CCC) salvaged a 2-0 victory in the nightcap after the T-Birds capitalized on eight walks and three errors, pounding out 16 hits in a 14-8 victory.
Schmidt was dominant in the late game – striking out six – as UBC (13-10, 8-7) did not have a runner reach third base.
Nita Cook singled to lead off the first, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, stole third and scored when the throw ended up in left field. The junior All-American made it 2-0 in the second, gapping an RBI double – all the scoring Tech needed.
Both Sawyer Stenson and Cook were 2-for-3 in the victory.
It was a far cry from Game 1, as both teams struggled with a tight strike zone – with the clubs combining for 29 hits and 12 walks – as Tech allowed their highest run total in a decade.
Shae Sever got the T-Birds on the board with a first inning RBI single, but Zoe Allen tied the game in the bottom of the frame with a run-scoring double and Marla Goodspeed doubled home a pair to extend the lead to 3-1.
Tech led 4-1 in the fifth – when craziness ensued. UBC batted around for six runs, with consecutive walks leading to a Kennedy Laird grand slam homer to left, giving the Canadian side a 7-4 lead. OIT answered, getting two walks to set up Addison Kachnik, who clubbed a long grand slam to left-center – regaining the lead for the Owls at 8-7.
The lead did not last – as three walks and an error tied the score, with Laird giving UBC the lead with a 2-run ground-rule double to center and Kaitlyn Eng added a 2-run single to make it 13-8.
Cook, Allen, Goodspeed and Kachnik each had two hits in the loss, with all nine OIT starters recording at least one hit. Sever and Jessica Heutink were 3-for-4, with Laird going 3-for-5 with six RBI for the T-Birds.
The two teams close out the series tomorrow with an 11 a.m. doubleheader.