KLAMATH FALLS, Oregon – The Beacons continue to make some impressive strides in Cascade Collegiate Conference play, battling the Oregon Tech softball team in a pair of close losses.
 
GAME ONE: Oregon Tech 2, Bushnell 0
 
Sara Martin (4-5) allowed just two runs and struck out four batters in the opener as Bushnell held the Owls to their lowest run total since February.
 
Tech posted fence posts in the first and third innings to account for all of the scoring in the contest and All-American Kacie Schmidt (8-2) held Bushnell to two hits in the complete game shutout.
 
Martin singled to right field in the fifth inning for the Beacons first hit, with the other coming from Ashlyn Martin in the top of the seventh in an effort to spark a last inning rally.  
 
GAME TWO: Oregon Tech 7, Bushnell 2
 
Bushnell responded to a two-run first inning deficit with a solo home run by Ashlyn Martin, her first of the season. The Beacons gave a late-game scoring effort in the top of the sixth, starting with a double from Violet Richardson and an RBI sac fly from Martin. Shyla Mead added two hits in game two, producing a single and her first double of the season.
 
Alexis Perez (0-1) started in the circle for the Beacons and went four innings, allowing three earned runs while striking out two. Emma Fournier came in relief, allowing zero runs scored and only one hit during her two innings thrown. 
 
UP NEXT: The Beacons (6-17, 1-11 CCC) will get a brief reprieve from the Cascade Conference gauntlet on Tuesday as they head to Newberg for a recently scheduled double-header with George Fox University (5-8), beginning at 1:00 pm. CCC play continues next weekend as Bushnell is hosting No. 1 Southern Oregon University (25-1, 9-0). The first pitch of the four-game series will be thrown on Friday at 2:00 p.m. at Rich Schwab Field.