SOU closes CCC home schedule with No. 10 LCSC, WWU
The No. 10-ranked Southern Oregon softball team settled on another split Friday, bouncing back from a 4-0 loss with a 3-2 win against Hope International (Calif.) at Bastanchury Park.
All-American HIU pitcher Allie Puentes shut out the Raiders (4-2 overall) with a three-hitter in the opener. The junior, whom SOU defeated to advance to the NAIA World Series in 2021, struck out five and got all the support she needed when Makenna O’Toole led off the Royals’ half of the first inning with a home run.
Mayze Menefee pitched four scoreless frames of relief after starter Katie Machado exited in Game 1, and Cayla Williams spun a complete game five-hitter for her second victory of the season in Game 2.
Williams left the potential tying runner stranded at third base in the seventh inning, inducing a Hannah Macias groundout to seal the victory.
The Raiders went ahead on Lauren Weinberg’s infield single in the first. She and Riley Donovan, who made SOU’s lead 3-1 in the fifth with an RBI single, had two hits apiece.
Sarah Kerling scored SOU’s other run in the second as Donovan got caught on a first-and-third play.
The Raiders played error-free defense for the second and third games in a row.
They’ll be on the road again next week, visiting Simpson (Calif.) on Friday for their final tune-ups before the start of Cascade Conference play.
Content used with permission, compliments of SOU Sports
Photo by Al Case, Ashland Daily Photo
