Riley Donovan reached base seven times and hit her 30th career home run as No. 10 Southern Oregon split its third consecutive doubleheader, defeating Simpson (Calif.) 6-4 before taking a 7-2 loss on Friday at the SU Softball Field.
Donovan, a senior catcher and the reigning NAIA Player of the Year, had an RBI single and took three walks in Game 1. First baseman Ashton Cathey, who went 2-for-3, provided the big blow with a two-run double that put the Raiders (5-3 overall) up 5-0 in the fourth inning.
Katie Machado preserved the lead by striking out six while pitching the final 3 2/3 innings in relief of Cayla Williams. She allowed one run and earned the decision to improve to 3-1.
Kailer Fulton had three hits and a run scored, and Lindsey Stripling went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run.
Donovan tacked onto her SOU-record home run total with her second of the season, a solo shot, in the first inning of Game 2. The Raider bats went quiet after that, though, and the Redhawks (8-4) put up a seven-spot in the fourth inning – getting run-scoring doubles from Cailey Rizzardo, Jayden Bayani and Akela Holder.
Donovan totaled three hits in the contest and Sammie Pemberton added two, but Sydney Moorhead and Jessica Ulshoeffer combined to limit the Raiders to one earned run.
SOU’s Mayze Menefee took the loss after exiting in the decisive fourth. Machado added two more scoreless frames of relief.
The Raiders open Cascade Conference next weekend at University Field, hosting Bushnell in a four-game set on Feb. 24-25.
Content used with permission, compliments of SOU Sports
Photo by Al Case, Ashland Daily Photo
