BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2
EUGENE, Ore. – Junior
Rebecca Franke (Pendleton, Ore.) drove in the Warriors' lone run of the afternoon via a run-scoring double in the opener to go along with senior
Erin Sailors'
(Anchorage, Alaska) four-hit, six-strikeout performance, as Corban's softball team split with the Beacons of Northwest Christian, 1-0 & 0-3, Friday afternoon at James Park.
After a lead-off single up the middle by sophomore
Jessie Jones (Gladstone, Ore.), the fleet-footed second-year Warrior stole second and then came home on a RBI double to right field by Franke for the game's lone run in the opener.
Northwest Christian had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth inning when Jenn West got to third with one out. Fortunately for the Warriors, Franke came up big with her arm thanks to an inning-ending double play when West was thrown out a home following a fly out to left field.
Sailors helped preserve Corban's victory, as she went the distance allowing four hits to go along with a team-best six strikeouts.
The visiting Warriors were held to a mere two hits offensively, as Northwest Christian's Brooke Davis equaled Sailors' performance allowing one earned run over seven complete innings to go along with a game-high nine K's.
In the finale, Northwest Christian got a single run in the bottom of the second inning when Davis singled before coming home on a run-scoring single by Amber Kraaz three batters later.
The host Beacons capped the game's scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning when Cotie Howard registered a two-run double that scored Kraaz and Sarah Leonard for the final runs of the afternoon and handed NCU a 3-0 victory.
In the fifth and sixth innings, Corban had runners on third with a chance to cut into Northwest Christian's lead. Freshman
Ashley Strom (Salem, Ore.) registered a one-out single in the fifth before advancing to third with two outs, but could not come home as NCU's pitcher got an inning-ending fly out. Meanwhile, junior
Kacie Emerick (Bellingham, Wash.) walked to lead off the top of the sixth inning and got within 60 feet of scoring with no outs. Unfortunately for the Warriors, NCU's Davis got three straight outs via two infield flies and a strikeout to end Corban's scoring threat and helped the host Beacons earn the afternoon split.
Four different Warriors – Jones, Franke, Strom, and junior
Rachel Steigleman (Eugene, Ore.) – registered hits in the night cap, while freshmen
Twyla Baggarley (Hillsboro, Ore.) and
Brittany Wagner (Oregon City, Ore.) combined to allow three earned runs on six hits.
Northwest Christian was led offensively by Kraaz, who had two hits, one run scored, and one RBI in the night cap. In the circle, Davis teamed with Kalyssa Koontz to pick up the victory. Koontz went the opening 5.0 innings allowing four hits before Davis closed the door on the Warriors over the final two innings en route to picking up her second save of the season.
With today's results, Corban moves to 18-14 overall, 6-4 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Meanwhile, Northwest Christian is now 9-10 overall, 2-8 in CCC action. The Warriors return to the field on Tuesday, April 14th, when they face off against conference rival Concordia beginning at 2:00 p.m. at Delta Park in Portland.
