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

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – (Box Score) Jessi Duncan limited No. 8 William Carey (Miss.) to seven hits and zero runs as seventh-seeded Oregon Tech defeated the Crusaders, 3-0, on Monday at the 35th Annual NAIA Softball World Series, presented by Security National Bank and Morningside College. William Carey’s defense struggled on the day with four errors which resulted in three unearned runs by Oregon Tech.

Oregon Tech stays alive in the elimination round and now advances to play the loser of No. 5 Central Methodist (Mo.) / No. 9 Concordia (Ore.) Tuesday at 1 p.m. CDT.

Oregon Tech scored in the top of the first on the benefit of an error. Katie Virtue drew her 26th walk of the year and came around to score.

The Owls scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth on a RBI-single off the bat of Karly Leveque and an error.

William Carey had its scoring chances leaving eight runners on base. The Crusaders put a runner on third base on both the fourth and seventh innings.

Duncan finished her fifth shutout of the year with some drama in the bottom of the seventh. William Carey put runners on second and third with two outs, but Duncan induced a ground out to end the game. The senior from Battle Ground, Wash., improved to 16-7 on the year. She recorded six strikeouts and allowed just one walk.

William Carey’s Brittany Lang went 5.0 innings and was hit with the loss to fall to 13-8 overall. Lang allowed one unearned run on six hits and one walk.

Tara Moates led the offensive charge for Oregon Tech with three singles. Through three World Series games, Moates has now gone 5-for-10 (.500) at the dish. She currently leads the NAIA with 99 base hits on the year and is No. 7 in batting average (.487).

Taylor Brewer led the Crusaders with a 2-for-2 effort at the plate.

William Carey, with a 1-2 World Series record, is eliminated and ends the year with a 42-19 record. The Crusaders wrap up their seventh all-time World Series with a 22-13 mark. Coming into the game, the Crusaders were shut out three times all year but were blanked in two of three World Series contests.

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.