Raiders Advance, Owls Face Deciding Game
SOU softball is headed back to the NAIA World Series, while Oregon Tech gets another shot Thursday in Klamath Falls
ASHLAND / KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — Southern Oregon is headed back to the NAIA Softball World Series, while Oregon Tech will need one more win Thursday to keep its own championship hopes alive.
The Raiders punched their ticket to Columbus, Georgia, on Wednesday with a 10-2, six-inning win over Dordt of Iowa in the Ashland Bracket championship round. The win gives Southern Oregon another trip to the NAIA World Series, where the Raiders will defend their national title.
Southern Oregon, the top seed in the Ashland Bracket, used a fast start and a balanced offensive performance to take control. Brooke Nordahl opened the scoring with a two-run home run in the first inning, and the Raiders continued to build from there with six extra-base hits.
The victory continued a major late-season surge for SOU, which has now won 15 straight games. During that stretch, the Raiders have outscored opponents 114-21. Southern Oregon is now 44-13 on the season.
Southern Oregon softball celebrates its Ashland Bracket championship after defeating Dordt to advance to the NAIA Softball World Series. Photo courtesy SOU Sports Information.
“We’re heading to Georgia in the right space,” SOU coach Jessica Pistole said in the university’s release. “We’re a very different team than we were a month ago and I think we’ve just loosened up.”
Nordahl finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while Kalea Thomas went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Avery Coffin added two hits and reached base four times. Elysia Duarte and Ari Williams also doubled for the Raiders.
In the circle, Ayla Davies threw a complete game, striking out seven without issuing a walk. Davies improved to 26-7 and has now won 11 consecutive decisions.
Southern Oregon will make its eighth World Series appearance in nine years. The 10-team, double-elimination bracket is expected to be announced after the remaining Opening Round brackets are completed.
In Klamath Falls, Oregon Tech fell 8-5 to Our Lady of the Lake at Stilwell Stadium, forcing a winner-take-all championship game Thursday.
Our Lady of the Lake used a 14-hit attack and a five-run fourth inning to erase Oregon Tech’s early lead. The Owls had moved in front 4-3 in the third inning after Addison Kachnik drove in two runs with a single and Puakea Milbourne added a sacrifice fly. Our Lady of the Lake answered immediately in the fourth, scoring five runs to take an 8-4 lead.
Oregon Tech added one run in the seventh on an RBI double from Malia Mick, but the rally ended there.
Kachnik led the Owls with two RBIs, while Mick, Milbourne, and Leah Huffman each drove in one run. Nita Cook went 2-for-2 with a run scored, and Jazmine Macias scored twice.
For Our Lady of the Lake, Yezenia Perez and Marina Litterio each went 3-for-4. Perez drove in two runs, while Litterio added an RBI. Novalee Gloria also drove in two runs.
Oregon Tech enters Thursday’s deciding game at 43-9, while Our Lady of the Lake improved to 42-11.
The winner will advance to the NAIA Softball World Series.
Cover image: Al Case, Ashland Daily Photo, provided by SOU Sports Information.
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