Owls Win Season Opener
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ATHERTON, Calif. – The Oregon Tech baseball team started the 2018 season off with a convincing 15-6 win over Menlo College Friday afternoon in the season opener for both teams. Menlo would come back to win the night cap 5-4 as the Owls settle for the split.
Head Coach Matt Miles after today's games, "Great offensive first game of the season. Game two was pitched well by Freshman Chase Wago but a rare defensive error cost us the game. We look to continue to play hard and smart and get better tomorrow."
Game 1, Oregon Tech 15 Menlo 6 (9-innings)
Doug Molzahn (pictured) pitched the Owls to the victory in game one, going 6 and 1/3 giving up 3-runs (all earned) on only 5-hits with 4 walks and 3 strikeouts as he improves to 1-0 on the season.
The Owl offense started the season off hot, scoring 15-runs on 14-hits while the Owl defense didn't commit an error in the big win.
The Owls scored 4-runs in the 3rd inning highlighted by an Austin Zavala 3-RBI double as OIT took a 4-0 lead.
Menlo answered with 2-runs in the bottom of the 3rd on a Brice Foster 2-run home run.
Tech added 3-runs in the 4th, one run in the 7th then broke the game wide open with 7-runs in the 7th.
Junior Kevin Montgomery led the Owls with 3-hits, with Zavala, Tristen Shae, and Mathew Del Fante adding 2-hits each in the win.
Game 2, Menlo 5 Oregon Tech 4 (7-innings)
Menlo scored the game winning run in the bottom of the 7th to break-up a 4-4 tie to earn the split in game two.
OIT took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the 2nd on a Ryan Riepma RBI double.
Menlo answered back with 4-runs in the bottom of the 3rd on 5-hits as the Oaks took a 4-1 lead.
Tech made it a 4-2 game with 1-run in the 4th on a Blake Wrotenbery RBI double.
Kai Fong doubled and later scored on a Zavala grounder to make it a 4-3 game with Zavala safe on an error. Zavala would come in to tie the game at 4-4 on another Oaks' error.
Menlo then scored the game winner in the bottom of the 7th on the Owls' only error on the day.
Tech Freshman Chase Wago pitched 5 full innings giving up 7-hits and 4-runs in his OIT debut. Tech's Trask Telesmanichwas the tough luck loser giving-up 1-run (unearned) on 1-hit in an inning and a 1/3.
Josh Kallstrom led the OIT offense in game two with 2 of Tech's 7-hits in the loss.
The two teams will play a double-header again Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 11:00 am. Game 1 will be a full 9-inning game with game two being only 7-innings.
Press release from Oregon Tech Athletics - Michael Garrard - Director of Sports Information and Marketing
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