COLUMBUS, Ga. – It will be an all-Oregon championship round for the second time in three seasons tomorrow as the Owls won their way to fight for a championship on Wednesday in the 2023 NAIA Softball National Championship. The Owls battled back from a deficit in game one and held an early lead to advance to play on Wednesday.
GAME NOTES/HIGHLIGHTS
No. 1 Oregon Tech def. No. 7 Marian (Ind.), 8-5
- Nita Cook put Oregon Tech on the board in the top of the third with a two RBI double, to score Olivia Sprague and Maddie DeVerna to give Oregon Tech a 2-0 lead.
- Jensen Becker singled home Cook later in the inning to give her squad a 3-0 lead.
- In the bottom of the third, Marian responded. After an Abby Madere RBI double, Sierra Norman hit a two run home run, her second of the 2023 Series, to tie the game at three.
- Savannah Baker followed with her fifth RBI of the 2023 Series to give her Knights a 4-3 lead.
- Lily Wendt capped the inning off with a sacrifice fly to give the Knights a 5-3 lead.
- Oregon Tech’s offense went back to work in the top of the fifth. The Owls plated four in the frame, aided by a two-RBI center from Puakea Milbourne, to give the Owls a 7-5 lead.
- Maggie Buckholz drove-in the final run for the Owls in the top of the sixth to end the scoring.
- McKenzie Staub grabbed the win for the Owls. The junior allowed just three hits in her relief appearance to grab the win.
No. 1 Oregon Tech def. No. 3 Cumberlands (Ky.), 3-0
- Maggie Buckholz started the scoring with a sacrifice fly, to score Zoe Allen, to give the Owls a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
- The RBI for Buckholz was her sixth of the 2023 World Series.
- Oregon Tech made it 2-0 later in the inning when Lexi Klum drove in an RBI single to left field to give the Owls a 2-0 lead.
- The game stayed at 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth as Jayce Seavert singled through the left side to score Kaila Mick, and gave the team from Klamath Falls a 3-0 lead.
- Kacie Schmidt earned her 29th win of the season. The sophomore allowed four hits in her seven innings of work.
- Schmidt’s win ties her for the 2023 World Series lead in pitching wins with three.