PORTLAND | The Warner Pacific University Softball team (1-11, 0-6) suffered their second sweep of the week to the #1-ranked Oregon Tech Hustlin' Owls (19-3, 6-0) Saturday afternoon, dropping games one and two of the weekend doubleheader 0-6 and 0-10.
 
Game 1
 
The Oregon Tech duo of shortstop Kaila Mick and Catcher McKenna Armantrout immediately put OIT into a first inning lead with barely any pitches on the board, as Mick lined a deep triple to rightfield, and Armantrout followed up with an RBI single to right for an early Owls' lead.
 
As if by déjà vu, the top of the third inning resulted in the exact same scenario for Oregon Tech, as Mick smacked yet another deep triple to rightfield in the leadoff spot, then Armantrout brought her home with another single to right. Up to this point of the game, the duo had accounted for all of the notable offense, right before rightfielder Maggie Buckholz doubled to centerfield, scoring Armantrout from second following her stolen base.
 
The Owls added a pair of unearned runs in the top of the seventh inning due to some unforced errors by Warner Pacific, resulting in the Knights 0-6 defeat in game one to Oregon Tech.
 
Knights' junior starting pitcher Carrigan Foster (0-3) was tagged for four runs off seven hits in 3.0 innings pitched, striking out one Owl in the process. Sophomore relief pitcher Sammie Brauckmiller came in for 4.0 innings, giving up two unearned runs on three hits, and walking three batters. Warner Pacific senior third baseman Payton Hergert was the lone Knight to register a hit in game one, reaching on a scorched infield single to the shortstop that she was able to beat out.
 
Owls' starting pitcher Sarah Abramson's (10-2) one blemish came to Hergert in the bottom of the fourth inning, but otherwise pitched a masterful game, allowing no runs and one hit in a complete 7.0 innings of work, striking out 11 batters in total. Mick and Armantrout both torched Warner Pacific for two and three hits, respectively, each scoring a pair of runs and at least one RBI.
 
Game 2
 
A scoreless first inning for both teams is how game two kicked off for everyone watching at a bright and sunny Erv Lind Stadium Saturday afternoon, before the Owls busted the door open for a three-run top of the second inning, leaving the Knights once again in a come-from-behind situation.
 
Knights' sophomore starting pitcher Abby Carlson (1-5) was able to corral the Owls' offense for the next two innings, watching in the bottom half of the innings in hopes that her team could score her some support runs to earn herself at another win opportunity, which unfortunately never came her direction.
 
Oregon Tech was able to wear Carlson down in the top of the fifth inning, where they added four runs on five hits thanks to a pair of sacrifice flies with runners at third base, and five straight baserunners to reach before the inning came to a close with the bases loaded.
 
After the Owls added three more runs in the top of the sixth inning, the Knights needed to find at least three runs to extend this game to the full seven innings, but unfortunately couldn't find the baserunners they needed to keep this contest alive, falling to Oregon Tech 0-10 in six innings.
 
Carlson allowed 10 runs on 13 hits in 6.0 innings pitched, six of which counted as earned runs against her average. She walked three in total in her sixth outing of the early season. Herget found the basepathes once more in game two with a single in the bottom of the fourth inning, while senior centerfielder Paityn Willoughby joined her with her first hit of the afternoon in the bottom of the first inning with a flaming double to left field.
 
Owls' starting pitcher McKenzie Staub (8-0) dominated against the Knights in her eighth win of the season, allowing no runs on two hits in 6.0 innings pitched, while striking out three Warner Pacific players in the process. Staub also had a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, plating three hits and three runs with an RBI. Buckholz continued her offense over from game one to record three hits in four at-bats, and being responsible for two of the Owls' 10 runs scored.
 
Warner Pacific Softball returns to the field next Friday, March 11^th, where they will play host to the Corban University Warriors at Erv Lind Stadium, with first pitches scheduled for 1pm and 3pm PDT.