Benicia High School graduate Olivia Mackey says she felt great that she was able to recently end her college softball career with a bang. And by “bang” she means a clutch triple off her bat that helped lead Southern Oregon to another NAIA Softball World Series title.
Although it was the second time in three years (there was no winner in 2020), Southern Oregon won the second of its back-to-back titles last week with a pair of same-day wins over Oregon Tech. Southern Oregon won the first game 3-2 in Georgia to force a second game, which it took 7-5 behind Mackey’s two-out RBI triple for a valuable insurance run in the ninth inning.
“I was getting thrown outside pitches all game but I was still hitting the ball to left,” Mackey said. “That final at-bat, I kept looking for an outside pitch to drive to the opposite field and I finally got one that seemed like a gift. When I got to third base I was so juiced up because we needed to score that huge insurance run. Words can’t describe how super dramatic that was for me.”
After the Raiders retired the side in the bottom half of the ninth, Mackey was overcome with joy — her team had won a championship, but her softball career was over.
“To me, this championship felt more rewarding,” Mackey said. “You always have to work harder to do something the second time. Having a year gap due to the pandemic and facing that adversity that every team in the nation had, it made all the waiting for this championship worth it.”
Mackey, an outfielder with the Raiders, batted .355 with 22 RBIs and four doubles in her senior season. During the layoff that took what would have been her junior season, she had to find ways to stay in shape for her sport’s eventual return.
“I think what the layoff taught me was to appreciate the game way more,” Mackey said. “I learned not to take anything for granted and to cherish the time I had with my teammates a little more.
“During the layoff I came back home to Benicia and made a gym in my home and a weight room there,” Mackey continued. “I had some friends from high school I would often meet with as well.”
It was also a tough path for Mackey’s Southern Oregon team, which had a “target on their back all year long.”
“I mean, we were ranked No. 1 in the nation when the year started. Who wouldn’t want to beat that team?” Mackey said. “I remember in previous years before we were the champions we definitely wanted to.”
Although Southern Oregon had a great season, it still had to win its last five games to win the title. The last two wins came against Oregon Tech, which carried a 3-0 tourney record into those final two games.
“I think in the last two games we weren’t as tense,” Mackey said. “We wanted to take something rather than playing not to lose.”
After the title, Southern Oregon had a parade in Ashland to celebrate the victory.
“It was awesome to see all the community come together again,” Mackey said. “We knew while we were playing in Georgia that the community was behind us and watching us on television, but we couldn’t see them in person. So it was nice to see them in person and thank them personally for all their support.”
After graduating from Southern Oregon with a degree in health and physical education, Mackey is back home looking to go to nursing school. While at Southern Oregon she would often help in the training room. She also has experience working in assisted living. However, now she wants to help frontline workers that have dealt with COVID-19.
“Academics for me has always been my top priority in life,” Mackey said. “I was super focused in school and my passion for nursing has always been big. This past year I’ve gained even more appreciation for those that worked on the front line. Hopefully soon I can help out as well.”
