Home 
Sports Bittle, Gesner mow down Mountaineers
Bittle, Gesner mow down Mountaineers
|
 SIZZLING CISLER: EOU pitcher Teri Cisler held No. 20 Oregon Institute of Technology to two runs Friday. It wasn’t enough as the Mountaineers lost 2-1. The Observer/PAUL HARDER EOU dropped a doubleheader against Oregon Institute of Technology 8-0, 2-1 Friday. “It would have been nice to take one of these games,” Mountaineers head coach Missy Wheeler said. “Tomorrow has a bigger affect on our season, and we need to build on the momentum from our second game.” Sitting at 8-12 in the Cascade Conference, EOU is fighting for the final spot into the regional tournament. The light is on but it’s flickering. Albertson and Southern Oregon hold a two-game lead over the Mountaineers with four games left to play. After a mercy-rule shortend Game 1, EOU wasted a strong pitching performance from Teri Cisler in the nightcap against the NAIA’s No. 20 team. Cisler allowed two runs on seven hits. The Owls’ Keri Gesner had the answer, though. One run on four hits. She struck out nine to pick up her 14th win of the season. Gesner kept the Mountaineers off balance all game long. Jumping ahead in the count, and getting outs on pitcher’s pitches. She faced the minimum, nine hitters, through three innings. The Mountaineers stranded two runners in the fourth, but finally broke through in the fifth. Megan Monaghan entered the game and didn’t waste any time. She drilled the first pitch she saw from Gesner over the left field fence, her third home run of the season. “We told our pitchers (EOU) is a great hitting team,” Owls head coach Greg Stewart said. He wasn’t kidding. Monaghan’s home run gave the Mountaineers 32 on the season — leading NAIA Region 1 and ninth in home runs per game in the nation. OIT took the lead right back with three hits in the sixth. Junior Bess Fagan doubled to score Jenni Bittle. A final chance in the seventh came up short when EOU failed to get the timely hit. Megan Platz opened the inning with a single. With two outs, Lindsey Smith worked a walk. Both runners were left stranded after a ground ball to the second baseman ending the game. Cisler fell to 1-3 with the loss. Jenni Bittle picked up her 16th win of the year in Game 1. She struck out five, while allowing four hits in five innings. Bittle lowered her ERA to 1.77 with the shutout. Home runs by Sunceray Titus and Jenny Austin broke the game open. Titus gave the Owls a 4-0 lead with a two-run shot in the second. Austin’s long ball, her second of the year, came with the bases loaded in the fifth. Kelly West, 6-10, was saddled with the loss. OIT locked up the conference title with the sweep. With the title, the Owls will host the NAIA Region I Tournament beginning May 8. EOU hosts the Raiders in a twin bill at 11 a.m. today.
OIT 220 04 — 8 4 0 EOU 000 00 — 0 4 3 W — Bittle 16-5. L — West 6-10. 2B — OIT, Bittle; EOU, Peterson. HR — OIT, Titus, Austin. Game 2 OIT 100 001 0 — 2 8 0 EOU 000 000 0 — 1 4 1 W — Gesner 14-5. L — Cisler 1-3. 2B — OIT, Titus, King, Warren. HR — EOU, Monaghan.
Standings through 4/26 CCC Ov’all OIT 18-2 32-10 Concordia 12-8 17-4 College of Idaho 10-10 21-16 Southern Oregon 10-10 12-20 Corban 9-11 13-20 Eastern Oregon 8-12 16-22 NW Christian 3-17 10-29
|
