Story by Chad Waller, Director of Communications & Sports Information
Pictures courtesy of Rick Dominowski, Click HERE to order

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – (Box Score) In a match-up of the 2014 and 2011 national champions, No. 2-seed Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) used the pitching of 2014 NAIA World Series MVP Cassie Jones to blank No. 7 Oregon Tech by a 7-0 score on Saturday at the 35th Annual NAIA Softball World Series, presented by Security National Bank and Morningside College. The defending national champs, Auburn Montgomery got off to a fast start offensively with seven runs in the first three innings and rode the arm of Jones.

Auburn Montgomery will next play Monday at 7 p.m. CDT against No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) in the winner’s bracket. Oregon Tech drops into elimination play and will take on No. 8 William Carey (Miss.) Monday at 10 a.m.

Cassie Jones, a 2014 NAIA First Team All-American and 2013 Second Teamer, showed why she is one of the top pitchers in the NAIA this year again. She entered the game No. 1 in wins (32), ERA (0.93) and opponent batting average (.102) and No. 2 in total strikeouts (359). She extended her scoreless streak of zero earned runs to 32-straight innings. With 11 strikeouts today, she now has posted 10-plus whiffs in the last seven outings.

The lone hit allowed by Jones was a single off the bat of Kayla Prock. The senior right-hander went 6 1/3 innings without giving up a base hit.

The Warhawks sent eight batters to the plate in the top of the first, which yielded two runs. A walk and a single drove in the pair of runs. Katie Spain knocked out her team-leading 12th home run of the year to provide Auburn Montgomery a 4-0 lead in the second inning.

In the top of the third, Auburn Montgomery added three more runs with the big blow coming from Lauren Shaw. She rapped a single to left, which drove in two runs.

Oregon Tech starter Rylee Carleton went 2.0 innings and allowed four earned runs on six hits. She was struck with the loss to fall to 20-5. Jessi Duncan pitched 4.0 innings of middle relief and gave way to Ann-Marie Guischer in the seventh inning.

Jones moved to 33-4 on the year. She had a couple of stressful innings as she walked five batters on the afternoon. Oregon Tech loaded the bases in the bottom of the second and third innings but was unable to produce any offensive noise.

Pitching and offense has been the norm for the Warhawks since the National Championship Opening Round began May 11. In the last four games, Auburn Montgomery has scored 17 runs and allowed zero.

Stretch Internet, the NAIA’s official video-streaming company of 17 select NAIA national championship events, will be broadcasting all 19 games of the 2015 NAIA Softball World Series. The All-World Series package can be purchased for $20. For more information, including how to register for an account, click here.

The double-elimination event is being played out at the Elizabeth & Irving Jensen Softball Complex. The City of Sioux City and Morningside College serve as official hosts for the first time. For more information on the 2015 NAIA Softball World Series, click here.