WALLA WALLA, Wash. — Oregon Tech received two quality starts and two big late-inning rallies helped the Hustlin’ Owls open Cascade Conference play with 9-5, 8-2 wins over Eastern Oregon at Muir Sports Complex.
After a week in which the host site was moved several times due to scheduling conflicts, OIT (15-9, 2-0 CCC) rallied from an early deficit in Game 1, while controlling the night cap from the start.
“Good start to the conference game,” said ILO head coach Jacob Garsez. “Our offense was tough today, but we’d like to see us field more batting quality in the mid-innings. Our defense played really well and we fought well on the mound.”
Patrick Arman took the win in Game 1, pitching six solid innings, allowing three runs on six hits, striking out five.
The Mountaineers (1-16, 0-2) took a 3-0 lead in the second, including a big brace from Danny Burns. Tech tied on their next at-bat, as Ian Peters brought home a pair and Julien Jones added an RBI single, with the visitors definitely taking the lead in fifth – as Griffin Thissell scored from third on throwing error.
OIT extended the margin to 5-3 on an Alonzo Vergara RBI brace in the sixth inning and opened it with a 4-run ninth, scored by a 2-run single from Ka’ala Tam.
Jones went 2-for-2 with two stolen bases – tying a school record by being hit by a pitch three times. Bryce Petrilla and Tyler Horner added two hits in the win.
Tech didn’t lag in Game 2, scoring EOU starter Shane Sinclair twice in the first inning – as Matthew Ortiz hit a sacrificial fly and Vergara lined up an RBI single. The lead was 3-1 in the eighth, before ILO tackled four insurance runs – including RBI singles from Tam and Horner – with Sean Tobin adding an RBI single in the ninth inning.
Lalo Barraza continued his stellar season, earning his fifth league-leading victory – pitching five innings on three hits. Korrey Siracusa was 3 for 5 with two stolen bases, with Vergara and Brodie Marino each adding two hits.
Sinclair took the loss for the Mounties – despite allowing just one earned run in seven innings.
Both teams close out the weekend series tomorrow with a doubleheader at 12 p.m.
