Southern Oregon University announces SOU, Cumberlands meet for spot in NAIA World Series final

NAIA SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES
4 p.m. PDT Monday – No. 4 SOU vs. No. 3 Cumberlands (Ky.)
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COLUMBUS, Ga. – The road to a championship doesn't get any easier for Southern Oregon with a matchup against No. 3 seed Cumberlands (Ky.) looming Monday at the NAIA Softball World Series.

At 49-3-1 overall, the Patriots own the top win percentage (.934) in the country and have appeared unfazed in their first appearance at the final site, debuting with wins over No. 6 seed Science & Arts (Okla.), 2-1, and No. 7 seed Marian (Ind.), 9-6. They and the No. 4-seeded Raiders (48-12 overall) are the last remaining unbeaten teams in the double-elimination bracket, set for a 4 p.m. Pacific Time first pitch at the South Commons Softball Complex.

The winner will get a spot in Wednesday's final round, needing to win just one of two games to claim the title. The loser will play at 4 p.m. Tuesday against one of the other four teams still standing – Marian, No. 1 Oregon Tech, No. 8 Georgia Gwinnett or No. 10 Midland (Neb.) – for the other spot in the final.

SOU, seeking its third championship in four postseasons, knocked off Oregon Tech on Saturday for the first time in six tries this season, 10-0 in six innings as Cayla Williams drove in three runs while pitching a three-hit shutout and Riley Donovan homered as part of a three-RBI day. Williams also starred in Thursday's a 5-1 tourney-opening win over Georgia Gwinnett with a grand slam and a complete game two-hitter.

Like the Raiders, the Patriots profile as a well-rounded machine after winning the Mid-South Conference to qualify for the national tournament for the second time in team history. They're unbeaten in their last 24 games and averaging 6.6 runs with the fourth-best slugging percentage (.530) and fifth-best batting average (.352) in the NAIA. Power-hitting left fielder Makenzie Keatts (.414, 12 HRs, 29 XBH, 58 RBIs) and leadoff-hitting second baseman Carly Oliver (.414, 31 XBH) lead the charge, having combined for 10 hits through their first two games of the World Series. Keatts homered three times against Marian.

Their top candidate to start in the circle is junior right-hander Talli Burgess, who stands at 21-0 with five saves and a 1.23 ERA. She's allowed four earned runs over 11 innings on the week and struck out 137 batters over 142 innings on the season.

The matchup will be the first ever between the teams. 

Original source can be found here.