via Oregon Tech Athletic Communications
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Oregon Tech rallied from a deficit in both games, as the Hustlin’ Owls extended their school-record win streak to 13, completing a series sweep of Corban with 12-4 and 8-4 wins at Steen Sports Park.
The Owls (33-11, 24-9 CCC), riding the fourth-longest current win streak in the NAIA, head into the final regular-season series vs. Bushnell needing one win to clinch no worse than the No. 3 seed in the Cascade Conference Tournament – with Tech two games back of second-place LC State.
OIT trailed 2-1 in Game 1, as the Warriors (12-34, 7-26) took the lead in the third on a Ryan Clay single. However, Keanu Mizuta tripled home a pair in the fourth and Korrey Siracusa followed with an RBI single to give the Owls the lead.
Noah Owens got Corban within 4-3 with a sixth inning RBI single, but the Owls countered with a 6-run bottom of the frame – with Mizuta blasting a 2-run homer to left and Patrick Barry tripled home two with a drive into the right field corner.
Bronson Chapple, making his first start, struck out five in seven innings for the win – working around 13 hits. Barry was 3-for-4 with three runs scored, Siracusa was 3-for-4, with Mizuta going 2-for-4 with four RBI. Clay was 3-for-5 in the loss for Corban.
Tech needed a late inning rally to win Game 2 – as the Warriors took a 3-2 lead in the second on a Michon Cole homer and led 4-2 in the seventh. Starter Josephon Gonzalez held the Owls to four hits and struck out eight – benefitting from a pair of double plays turned behind him.
Things turned in the seventh, as Gonzalez walked Landon Cheney and Siracusa, with Barry lining an RBI single and Tyler Horner blooped a game-tying RBI double.
An inning later, OIT took the lead – as Logan Macy walked and moved to third on a throwing error on a Dane Bradshaw sacrifice bunt. Ka’ala Tam lifted a sacrifice fly to make it 5-4, with Siracusa lining a 2-run double – just inside the third base bag – and Horner laced an RBI single extend the margin.
OIT reliever Kaden Melzer did the rest, working three-plus innings of shutout relief, holding Corban to two hits and striking out three, earning the win. Horner was 3-for-5 with three RBI and Barry had two hits for Tech.
Next weekend, the Owls host Bushnell in a Friday-Saturday series to close out a 16-game homestand.
