Cottey softball shut out by Oregon Tech in opening round of NAIA tournament

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

The Cottey College softball team knew going into its first-ever NAIA national tournament that it would face pitching of a caliber it had not seen all season — or maybe ever.

But the Comets could not have been expecting to strike out 15 times and muster only two hits in a 4-0 loss Monday in Waleska, Ga., at the hands of Oregon Tech.

After leadoff batter Karina Ramirez started the top of the first by drawing a walk, it looked like the Comets might have Owls' starting pitcher Sarah Abramson’s number in this one. When three consecutive ground-outs ended the inning, at least Cottey (17-12) showed it could make contact against her.

But Oregon Tech proceeded to plate the game’s first run in the home half of the opening frame, and the Comets were retired in order in the top of the second, highlighted by their first two strikeouts on the afternoon.

Cottey sophomore starting pitcher Lacey Cruz held the Owls scoreless over the next two innings, before giving up another run in the fourth and two more in the fifth, finishing the game with two Ks, one walk, and five hits.

Abramson, though, retired nine of the next 10 batters she faced — the only blemish being a two-out single up the middle by Ramirez in the third.

Ramirez drew her second walk of the game in the sixth, this time with one out, and even advanced to second on a Lauren Johnson base hit to left, before an Aryana Palencia walk loaded the bases. Cottey’s best opportunity of the contest ended in a strikeout looking to strand all three runners. Abramson then closed things out in the seventh by striking out the side.

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