COLUMBUS, Ga. –The state of Oregon was well represented on Monday in the fourth day of action of the 2023 NAIA Softball World Series. Both Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon combined for 15 runs and continued their battle for the red banner. Marian (Ind.) also found success in their 6-0 win over Georgia Gwinnett to stay alive.
GAME NOTES/HIGHLIGHTS
No. 7 Marian (Ind.) def. No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett, 6-0
- Marian took advantage of a scoreless first-half inning to take a lead in the bottom of the first. Hayley Greene reached on an error, which allowed Abby Madere to score and make it a 1-0 game.
- Greene turned around to steal second and force a throwing error to plate the second run.
- Grace Meyer recorded the first RBI, a single to left center, to make it an early 3-0 lead for the Knights
- Savannah Baker followed with a single through the right side. On the play, Meyer crossed the plate thanks to a throwing error, to give Marian a 4-0 lead.
- Savannah Harweger extended her hitting streak to 17 games with her hit in the second inning, which broke the Marian’s single season record.
- Sydney Wilson finished with a complete game shutout. The senior allowed just three hits and recorded five strikeouts in her outing on Monday.
No. 1 Oregon Tech def. No. 10 Midland (Neb.), 6-0
- Oregon Tech struck first in the top of the third. Addison Kachnik hit a solo home run, her fifth of the season, to straight away center to put the Owls up 1-0.
- In the bottom of the third, Nita Cook came up big with her glove. The freshman came-up with a spectacular diving stop and flipped the ball directly from her glove to shortstop Kaila Mick to end the inning.
- Maggie Buckholz came up big in the top of the fourth. The senior cranked her team-leading 9th home run of 2023 to give the Owls a 3-0 lead.
- Buckholz did it again in the top of the sixth. The Owl’s right fielder cranked her second in the game that snuck just inside the foul pole down the right field line made it 5-0.
- Buckholz became the 10th player in NAIA history to have a multi home run game in a World Series.
No. 4 Southern Oregon def. No. 3 Cumberlands (Ky.), 9-1
- Riley Donovan put Southern Oregon on the board early. In the bottom of the first, the senior hit a three-run home run, her team-leading 22nd of the season, to give the Raiders a quick 3-0 lead.
- Donovan leads the nation in home runs in 2023. The next highest is Carly Pfitzer of Midland (Neb.), who finished her season with 17.
- Deja Acosta added to the lead in the bottom of the second with a two-RBI double to give the Raiders a 5-0 lead.
- In the top of the fourth, Makenzie Keatts continued her display of power in the 2023 World Series. The junior hit her Series-leading 4th home run to put the Patriots on the board, 5-1.
- With her fourth home run, Keatts has set a new NAIA World Series record for home runs with four (in the current World Series format).
- Acosta came through again in the bottom of the fourth. The senior doubled in another run to put her team up 6-1. She went 3-3 at the plate with three RBI.
- Cayla Williams recorded a two-RBI single to right field later in the frame to extend the lead to 8-1.
- Ashton Cathey got in on the fun to close out the scoring in the fourth with an RBI single to score Williams.