KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Oregon Tech completed the series sweep with 8-0 and 11-5 wins over the visiting Bushnell University softball team, dropping the Beacons out of Cascade Collegiate Conference postseason contention on Saturday.
The loss in game one eliminated Bushnell (15-33, 11-19 CCC) from the playoff hunt. The non-conference game two saw the finale appearances for seniors
Anabel Mendez,
Jordan Kuykendall and
Braydi Johnson.
Mendez caps off a historic season as the single-season record holder in eight offensive categories, smashing the batting average (.483) and on-base percentage (.583) records. The senior also broke the Bushnell career records in four categories (AVG, OB%, SLG, OPS).
With the win, Oregon Tech (43-10, 25-5) clinched the CCC regular season title and an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship. The Owls will host next week's CCC Championship tournament.
Game One: Oregon Tech 8, Bushnell 0 (5 innings)
Sarah Abramson (24-5) tossed a three-hit shutout with eight strikeouts. OIT scored in every inning with their biggest production coming in the third, a four-run frame.
The three early runs for the Owls were all unearned as the Beacons committed three errors through the opening two innings.
Alyssa Ferreira had two of three hits for Bushnell, both singles.
Sam Silver was the starting pitcher for the Beacons, allowing five earned runs on eight hits through four innings of work.
Game Two: Oregon Tech 11, Bushnell 5
Mendez broke two single-season records in the season finale, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Kuykendall also went 2-for-4 in her final collegiate game.
Kennedy Jantzi hit a three-run homer to left to give the Owls a 3-0 lead in the first.
Krystal Akagi, who also finished with two hits, and Mendez used RBI-singles in the second to make it a one run game. The base hit from Mendez was her 56
th of the season, breaking the single-season hits record.
The Owls scored the next seven with six coming in the bottom of the fourth to bring the score to 10-2.
Mendez broke the single-season RBI record with a two-run shot to center in the fifth. The Beacons added a run on a throwing error before the Owls finished the scoring with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth.
Leslie Reynaga got her first start of the season, allowing eight earned runs on three hits in four innings.
Breanna Hilton pitched two innings of relief, allowing one run on two hits.
Mckenzie Staub (16-4) earned the win in the circle for the Owls, allowing three earned runs on seven hits through five innings.
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