BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2

PORTLAND, Ore. – Freshman Stephanie Nippert (Rocklin, Calif.) went a combined 3-for-6 with two runs scored and two runs batted in, but it was not enough as Corban's softball team opened its Cascade Collegiate Conference season with a pair of losses to rival Concordia, 5-4 & 8-1, Friday afternoon at Delta Park.

After today's results, Corban falls to 8-15 overall and 0-2 in conference play. Meanwhile, Concordia pushes its winning streak to five games en route to improving to 13-1 overall and 2-0 in league action.

Nippert was aided offensively by fellow freshman Erica Fitzgerald (Beaverton, Ore.), who turned in a combined 2-for-4 performance at the plate to go along with three RBI. Four other Warriors – senior Jessica Pierce (Kennewick, Wash.), senior Rebecca Franke (Pendleton, Ore.), freshman Liane DeHart (Kent, Wash.), and freshman Tamara Feb (Oregon City, Ore.) – all registered a hit on the afternoon, while junior Makenzie Marchbanks (Sweet Home, Ore.) pitched the opening 10.0 combined innings before turning the ball over to sophomore Twyla Baggarley (Hillsboro, Ore.) for final 2.1 innings of work.

GAME #1 – CONCORDIA 5, CORBAN 4

In the opener, Corban would get on the score board first when Fitzgerald registered a two-run single down the left field line that allowed Nippert and Franke to score for an early 2-0 lead for the visiting Warriors after the first inning.

Concordia would mount a comeback in the bottom of the third inning when Cameron Way belted her first of two home runs on the afternoon scoring Ali Paz and Kayla Vickaryous, as the host Cavaliers took a one-run lead (3-2) after three innings of play.

Neither team would score again until the seventh inning when Corban re-took the lead by a single run (4-3) thanks to a two-RBI double down the left field line by Nippert that scored DeHart and Pierce.

Trailing by one run heading into its last at-bat, Concordia wasted no time when Mallory Callahan drew a lead off walk before Way cranked her second home run of the opening game one batter later to give the host Cavs the one-run win (5-4) in walk-off fashion.

Marchbanks went the distance for Corban allowing five earned runs on eight hits over 6.1 innings of work to go along with five strikeouts.

Concordia was led offensively by Paz, who went 3-for-4 at the plate to go along with Way's 2-for-4 showing that included two runs scored and five RBI. Renee Santos went the distance for the Cavaliers allowing four earned runs on seven hits to go along with a game-high 13 K's.

GAME #2 – CONCORDIA 8, CORBAN 1

The finale saw Corban get on the board first when Fitzgerald drove home Nippert with a RBI single to right center for an early 1-0 Warrior lead.

Concordia would tie the game in its opening at-bat via a Way double down the right field line that scored Callahan and made the score 1-1 after one inning of play.

The host Cavaliers would then explode for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on eight hits with the highlight coming off the bats of Kyndall Andrews and Tara Baglai via a pair of two-run singles to right center. Once the smoke had settled, Concordia had a commanding seven-run lead (8-1) that it never relinquished.

Marchbanks would begin the game in the circle for Corban allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits in 3.2 innings of work to go along with four strikeouts. Baggarley would relieve Marchbanks for the game's final 2.1 innings allowing one earned run on five hits.

Concordia got two-hit performances from six different players, while Danielle Pulfrey went the distance for the Cavs allowing one earned run on two hits to go along with a game-high nine K's.

Corban will return to the diamond on Tuesday, March 23rd, against conference rival Northwest Christian in an afternoon double header beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Warrior Field.