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Owls offense struggles in losses
April 16, 2007
Oregon Tech's snake-bit batters struggled Sunday, again.
Albertson College of Idaho stifled the Hustlin' Owls with brilliant defense, solid pitching and seeing-eye hits as the Coyotes swept a doubleheader, 7-0 and 7-1.
“As well as we hit the ball early in the year, we're not getting good swings and over-topping the ball,” OIT coach Pete Whisler said after the Owls narrowly avoided being shutout for the weekend.
“We can't come up with the big hit, the big (defensive)play, the big strike out,” Whisler said. “We always seem to be one play away from getting out of the rut.
“Hopefully, we can get out of this rut.”
OIT started the season 4-4. The Owls now are 5-23 which includes a school-record 15-game losing streak.
“We're a better club than our record shows,” Whisler said.
OIT's pitchers pitched well enough in Sunday's doubleheader at Leo J. Bocchi Field at Steen Sports Park.
They battled out of several jams with pop ups and playable ground balls. But they also were victims, again, to crucial OIT errors that allowed Albertson to score five unearned runs on the day.
“All of our kids threw decently,” Whisler said.
Senior Phil Ouellette, who hit a triple, double and single Sunday, said: “It's tough to see our young guys made some good pitches and (Albertson) gets some balls that fall in.
“It is tough right now. When you're down, the breaks go the other way. It's especially tough when you struggle like we have of late. It's just tough to see their balls drop in.”
Several of Albertson's run-scoring hits were hit off the end of the bat and found the holes.
Defense stops Owls
OIT had chances to score, but their batted balls were hit right toward defenders or were shagged down on long runs by outfielders.
None was more crucial than the bottom of the first inning of the second game.
Chris Curtis had doubled and Bryan Barrington hit a ball hard that was tailing away from centerfielder Trent Bradshaw. Bradshaw ran at least 60 feet to his right and barely made the catch.
In the second, with the game still scoreless, OIT had runners and second and third with one out. A pop fly and strike out ended OIT's scoring threat.
By the time OIT finally put a run on the scoreboard, the Owls were down, 4-0, with 15 straight batters retired before Barrington doubled and scored on Marcus James' single.
“Sooner or later, they'll happen,” Ouellette said of hits that fall in for OIT. “We'll get better. You can see these young guys improving, which is encouraging.”
Ouellette, Curtis and Kyle Koontz are the only seniors on the OIT roster.
OIT will continue its homestand against Corban College at 3 p.m. Friday with a single, nine-inning game, and then play an 11 a.m. Saturday doubleheader.
Owl Hoots
Sunday's two games took four hours and one minute to play, with the seven-inning opener going 1:31, and the nine-inning second game lasting 2:30.
OIT batters struck out just eight times in Sunday's two games, and drew four walks. OIT pitchers struck out 11 Sunday, walked six and hit two (both times hitting Bryan Champ).
OIT is 3-18 in league action, while Corban is 4-16. Neither will likely advance to the NAIA Region I tournament, which will include the University of British Columbia, Albertson, and Concordia and Albertson.
Albertson's first-game victory allowed the Coyotes to set a school record with four straight shutouts. The Coyotes, who now have won nine straight games, went 40 innings without allowing a run, going back to their series last weekend against Corban.
’- Steve Matthies
Oregon Tech's snake-bit batters struggled Sunday, again.
Albertson College of Idaho stifled the Hustlin' Owls with brilliant defense, solid pitching and seeing-eye hits as the Coyotes swept a doubleheader, 7-0 and 7-1.
“As well as we hit the ball early in the year, we're not getting good swings and over-topping the ball,” OIT coach Pete Whisler said after the Owls narrowly avoided being shutout for the weekend.
“We can't come up with the big hit, the big (defensive)play, the big strike out,” Whisler said. “We always seem to be one play away from getting out of the rut.
“Hopefully, we can get out of this rut.”
OIT started the season 4-4. The Owls now are 5-23 which includes a school-record 15-game losing streak.
“We're a better club than our record shows,” Whisler said.
OIT's pitchers pitched well enough in Sunday's doubleheader at Leo J. Bocchi Field at Steen Sports Park.
They battled out of several jams with pop ups and playable ground balls. But they also were victims, again, to crucial OIT errors that allowed Albertson to score five unearned runs on the day.
“All of our kids threw decently,” Whisler said.
Senior Phil Ouellette, who hit a triple, double and single Sunday, said: “It's tough to see our young guys made some good pitches and (Albertson) gets some balls that fall in.
“It is tough right now. When you're down, the breaks go the other way. It's especially tough when you struggle like we have of late. It's just tough to see their balls drop in.”
Several of Albertson's run-scoring hits were hit off the end of the bat and found the holes.
Defense stops Owls
OIT had chances to score, but their batted balls were hit right toward defenders or were shagged down on long runs by outfielders.
None was more crucial than the bottom of the first inning of the second game.
Chris Curtis had doubled and Bryan Barrington hit a ball hard that was tailing away from centerfielder Trent Bradshaw. Bradshaw ran at least 60 feet to his right and barely made the catch.
In the second, with the game still scoreless, OIT had runners and second and third with one out. A pop fly and strike out ended OIT's scoring threat.
By the time OIT finally put a run on the scoreboard, the Owls were down, 4-0, with 15 straight batters retired before Barrington doubled and scored on Marcus James' single.
“Sooner or later, they'll happen,” Ouellette said of hits that fall in for OIT. “We'll get better. You can see these young guys improving, which is encouraging.”
Ouellette, Curtis and Kyle Koontz are the only seniors on the OIT roster.
OIT will continue its homestand against Corban College at 3 p.m. Friday with a single, nine-inning game, and then play an 11 a.m. Saturday doubleheader.
Owl Hoots
’- Steve Matthies
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