Dixon fends off Oregon for BNC road win

OREGON – In pressure situations in both halves of the seventh inning Tuesday, Dixon found a way to get the job done.

Kennedy Haenitsch ripped a two-out, two-run single to break a 3-3 tie, then Allie Abell got the final two outs with the potential winning run on second base as the Duchesses defeated Oregon 5-4 in a Big Northern Conference game at Oregon Park West.

“We haven’t beaten Oregon in a while, so it was really exciting to get this win,” Haenitsch said.

Bailey Tegeler was 3 for 4 with a triple and a run scored, Breanna Tegeler went 3 for 3 with a walk and a run scored, and Haenitsch finished with a pair of hits and three RBIs to back up a solid outing by Abell, who didn’t allow a walk.

“It’s very different from a few weeks ago. We’ve kind of figured everything out, found our energy, and we’re playing better,” Abell said.

Tied 3-3 going into the seventh inning, Abell singled with one out. Breanna Tegeler singled with two outs. Abell took third when the ball got away from the Oregon center fielder, then Tegeler took second on the next pitch. Haenitsch followed with a soft line drive over the second baseman to drive in both runners.

“I was just trying to be calm, because I struck out twice already in the game. I was just trying to make the most of my at-bat, put the ball in play,” Haenitsch said. “I was trying not to think about those two earlier at-bats and just come through to help my team.”

Kaelin Shaffer and Olivia Ortega both singled with one out for Oregon, and after a double-steal Madi Shaffer ripped her third RBI single up the middle to drive in Kaelin Shaffer and cut the deficit to 5-4.

The first pitch of the at-bat was where the Hawks (18-8, 6-5 BNC) did the most damage, as seven of their 11 hits came on Abell’s initial offering.

“That was something we talked about. If it’s not there, don’t swing, but if it is there, it’s definitely one of the best pitches to hit that you’re going to get,” Madi Shaffer said. “It just comes from being confident in ourselves, and once we find it and get started, we pick ourselves up. It just kind of goes from there.”

After Madi Shaffer took second, Abell faced a two-on, one-out situation with Dixon (8-7, 5-6 BNC) clinging to a one-run lead.

She induced a pop out to Haenitsch at first base to keep the runners at second and third, but hurt her left ankle when she collided with Haenitsch on the catch. After a couple minutes sitting on the infield dirt, Abell returned to the circle and got a comebacker, zipping a throw to Haenitsch, who corralled it for the final out.

“I didn’t think about where the runners were, I had no clue about anything going on around me. [My leg] was the only thing on my mind, and that took the pressure off, I think,” Abell said. “Mostly I was just telling myself, ‘Breathe, you know what you’re doing,’ and not stress out over it.

“I’ve done it hundreds of times, so I just didn’t want to freak myself out.”

The Duchesses never trailed, as Bailey Tegeler led off the game with a triple and scored on a wild pitch, but they left the bases loaded after that. Oregon answered with Madi Shaffer’s first RBI single, but the Hawks also left the bases loaded in the first.

Haetnisch’s RBI infield single and Addy Williams’ fielder’s choice in the third gave Dixon a 3-1 lead, but Madi Shaffer answered by driving in Kaelin Shaffer in the bottom of the third to make it 3-2.

Isabelle Berg’s two-out RBI double in the bottom of the sixth tied the game to set up the thrilling final inning.

Abell stuck out two while allowing four earned runs and 11 hits, and her defense made several nice plays behind her – including a double play in the second when Williams caught a fly ball in right and threw out an Oregon baserunner trying to tag up and got to third.

“They were fantastic,” Abell said about her defense. “Kiley Gaither, she’s having an insane season at second, just doing amazing. Taylor [Frost] just got put at short[stop], and you’d think she’s been doing it forever. My outfielders also made some nice plays out there. The defense just did really good tonight.”

Madi Shaffer was 3 for 4 with three RBIs, Ortega finished 3 for 4 with a run scored, and Kaelin Shaffer and Lola Schwarz each had a pair of hits. Shaffer scored twice and Schwarz added a run for Oregon.