BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2

SALEM, Ore. – Junior Jessie Jones (Gladstone, Ore.) and freshman Stephanie Nippert (Rocklin, Calif.) combined to go 10-for-15 with six runs scored and six runs batted in, as Corban's softball team swept the Mountaineers of Eastern Oregon, 7-4 & 9-1 in five innings, Friday afternoon at Warrior Field.

With today's sweep, Corban improves to 18-21 overall and 10-8 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Meanwhile, Eastern Oregon falls to 11-22 overall and 3-16 in league games.

Offensively, Jones was a combined 4-for-8 with three runs scored to go along with Nippert's 4-for-7 showing that included five runs batted in. Six other Warriors – freshman Liane DeHart (Kent, Wash.), freshman Tamara Feb (Oregon City, Ore.), senior Rachel Kazmierski (Eugene, Ore.), freshman Erica Fitzgerald (Beaverton, Ore.), freshman Katie Steigleman (Eugene, Ore.), and senior Rebecca Franke (Pendleton, Ore.) – all registered more than one hit on the afternoon, while Feb belted her team-high tying eighth home run of the season via a two-run shot in the second inning of Game #1.

Junior Makenzie Marchbanks (Sweet Home, Ore.) tallied her conference and team-leading 18th complete game of the season, as she went the distance in the opening allowing four unearned runs on nine hits to go along with a game-high eight strikeouts. In the night cap, sophomore Brittany Wagner (Oregon City, Ore.) went the distance allowing one unearned run on four hits with a pair of K's.

GAME #1 – CORBAN 7, EASTERN OREGON 4

In the opener, Corban would tally one run in the bottom of the first inning when Jones led off with a single before stealing second and advancing along with DeHart an extra base on a pass ball. Nippert would then register the game's opening RBI with a single up the middle that gave Corban the early lead, 1-0.

One inning later, the host Warriors would erupt for five runs on five hits that included a run-scoring infield single by DeHart before Nippert plated two more runs with a single through the left side that made the score 4-0 in favor of the home team. The next batter – Feb – would step to the plate and deposit the fourth pitch that she saw over the left field fence for a six-run Warrior lead (6-0).

Eastern Oregon would get two runs back in the top of the fourth inning when Megan Hardman brought home Krista Kountz via a ground out to second. EOU's Shelby Spencer would then drive in Whitney Hodges on an infield single to made the difference four runs (6-2).

Two innings later, Corban would tally its seventh and final run on a RBI single to left field by Franke that allowed Kazmierski to score giving the host Warriors a five-run lead (7-2).

Eastern Oregon would not quit, as the visiting Mountaineers plated two runs in the top of the seventh inning when Kountz began the scoring bringing home Kassi Reisbeck on a fielder's choice. Pinch hitter Jessica Utt would drive in EOU's final run on a single through the right side two batters later allowing Ashleigh Byrne to score from third for the final tally of 7-4.

The Moutaineers were led offensively by Iris Woodhead, who tallied two hits in four at-bats to go along with seven other EOU players that registered a hit each. Jennifer McDonnell went the opening 1.2 innings for Eastern Oregon allowing five earned runs on six hits before turning the ball over to a duo of Mountaineer pitchers for the final 3.2 innings.

GAME #2 – CORBAN 9, EASTERN OREGON 1 (5 INNINGS)

The finale would begin in similar fashion as Game #1 with Jones reaching on a lead off single before stealing second and swiping third on a double steal along with DeHart. Nippert would then put Corban on the board with a run-scoring single through the left side before Feb brought DeHart home on a sacrifice fly to shallow right field for an early 2-0 lead. Nippert would cap the Warriors' scoring, as she came home from third on an error by EOU's catcher on an attempted return throw to the circle that sailed over Eastern Oregon's pitcher making the score 3-0 in favor of Corban.

After Eastern Oregon got one run back in the top of the third on a RBI single by Kountz, Corban plated six runs on eight hits in the bottom half of the inning with the highlighted coming via a two-run single to left center by Steigleman that started the Warriors' scoring. Once the dust had settled, the host Warriors held an eight-run lead (9-1) that they never relinquished en route to the eight-run mercy rule after five innings being invoked.

Eastern Oregon would get hits from four different players, while McDonnell went 1.1 innings allowing three earned runs on three hits before giving way to Teri Pardue for four batters and Suzie Espinoza for the final three outs.

Corban will return to the diamond tomorrow – Saturday, April 24th – in a late-morning double header against The College of Idaho beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Warrior Field.

NOTE: In between games tomorrow, Corban's softball team will be honoring five seniors that will be donning the navy and gold one final time on Warrior Field.