BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2

ASHLAND, Ore. – Freshmen Lounette Jackson (Escalon, Calif.) and Courtney Castronovo (Salem, Ore.) combined to drive in nine runs that included Castronovo's sixth home run of the season and a grand slam by Jackson, as Corban's softball team split an afternoon double header with Southern Oregon, 0-5 & 13-2, Friday at University Field.

On the afternoon, Castronovo and Jackson combined to go 5-for-13 with four runs scored, one double, and two home runs in helping lead Corban's offensive attack. Sophomore Stephanie Nippert (Rocklin, Calif.) collected a team-high four hits to go along with one double and a pair of runs scored, while fellow sophomores Tamara Feb (Oregon City, Ore.) and Liane DeHart (Kent, Wash.) each collected multiple hits and scored a run each. Four other Warriors – junior Abbie Pynch (Stayton, Ore.), junior Emma Winckler (Eltopia, Wash.), sophomore Shauna Boudreaux (Donald, Ore.), and sophomore Erica Fitzgerald (Beaverton, Ore.) – each collected a hit against the Raiders, while sophomore Rachel Conard (Merlin, Ore.) scored a run.

GAME #1 – SOUTHERN OREGON 5, CORBAN 0

In the opener, six different Warriors collected a hit and watched as the host Raiders scored a single run in the first to go along with a pair of runs in both the fifth and sixth innings en route to a 5-0 victory.

SOU's Brooke Springer would score the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the first inning when she led off with a bunt single before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. In the midst of stealing third base, Springer came the final 60 feet following a throwing error by Corban's catcher for the game's opening run.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Gia DiMaggio reached on another Warrior error and came around to score after pinch-runner Danielle Batson crossed the plate to make the score 3-0 in favor of the home team.

One inning later, Southern Oregon capped the scoring when Sarah Wharton reaching base on Corban's third error of the afternoon allowing Mischa Meyer to score. One batter later, DiMaggio ripped a triple that allowed Irene Barrantes to score the Raiders' last run making the final score 5-0 in favor of SOU.

Pynch, DeHart, Nippert, Feb, Castronovo, and Fitzgerald all collected hits for Corban, while senior Makenzie Marchbanks (Sweet Home, Ore.) went the distance allowing five runs (one earned) on six hits to go along with four strikeouts.

Southern Oregon was led offensively by DiMaggio's 2-for-3 showing with one RBI, while Jordan Kurtz pitched a complete game shut out allowing six hits to go along with a game-high 10 K's.

GAME #2 – CORBAN 13, SOUTHERN OREGON 2 (6 INNINGS)

In the finale, Corban scored four runs in the first inning and six more in the sixth inning in a eight-run mercy-rule victory over the Raiders en route to earning the afternoon split.

The visiting Warriors got on the board in the top of the first inning when Feb roped a two-run single to right field allowing Pynch and Nippert to score before Castronovo drew a bases loaded walk one batter later to bring home Conard. Corban's final run would come via a sacrifice fly by Fitzgerald that scored Feb to make the score 4-0 after the Warriors' opening at-bat.

Corban would extended its lead to five runs (5-0) in the top of the third inning when Castronovo belted her fifth home run of the season via a two out solo blast over the center field fence.

Trailing by five runs, Southern Oregon got on the board in the bottom of the third inning when Kathryn Moy singled to right field allowing Springer to score making the difference four runs (5-1).

In the top of the fifth inning, Corban put two more runs on the board thanks to a Jackson two-run double to left center that scored Winckler and Castronovo extending the Warriors' lead to six runs (7-1).

The host Raiders would put their second and final run up on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning when Moy registered her second run-scoring hit of the afternoon to bring home Springer once again and pulled SOU within five runs (7-2).

Unfortunately for Southern Oregon, Corban's bats erupted in the top of the sixth inning as the Warriors scored six runs on three hits with the dagger coming via a grand slam by Jackson with two outs that ended the game's scoring giving Corban a much-needed 11-run victory (13-2) in six innings.

Nippert led the Warriors' offense with three hits, while Feb, Castronovo, and Jackson each collected two hits in the finale. Jackson came within one RBI of matching the single-game record that Castronovo set two weekends ago against Eastern Oregon, while Winckler grabbed her team-leading sixth win of the season in complete game fashion allowing two earned runs on nine hits to go along with a pair of strikeouts.

Southern Oregon got a pair of hits from Melissa Corn, Moy, and Sierra Anderson, while Karlie Stephens allowed four earned runs on two hits and registered only one out en route to suffering the loss.

With today's results, Corban moves to 15-10 overall and 7-3 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Meanwhile, Southern Oregon finds itself at 8-11 overall and 5-3 in league games. The Warriors will return to the diamond tomorrow – Saturday, April 2nd – against the NAIA's No. 24-ranked Hustlin' Owls of Oregon Tech beginning at 11:00 a.m. in Klamath Falls.