BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Sophomore Rachel Conard (Merlin, Ore.) hit a pair of home runs to go along with a three-run long ball and four RBI by junior Emma Winckler (Eltopia, Wash.) in the finale, but it was not enough as Corban's softball team fell to the NAIA's No. 24-ranked Oregon Tech, 10-2 & 13-5, Saturday at OIT Softball Complex.

Over the course of the two games, sophomore Tamara Feb (Oregon City, Ore.) led the Warriors' offense with a combined 3-for-5 performance that included one run scored and one run batted in. Meanwhile, Conard and Winckler each collected two hits on the afternoon to go along with a hit each by junior Abbie Pynch (Stayton, Ore.), sophomore Stephanie Nippert (Rocklin, Calif.), and freshman Courtney Castronovo (Salem, Ore.).

GAME #1 – OREGON TECH 10, CORBAN 2 (5 INNINGS)

In the opener, Oregon Tech scored five runs in the bottom of the second inning thanks to run-scoring single by Janelle Cromie following by a two-run infield single by Brittany Cherry that extended the Owls' lead to 3-0. Andria Wheatley would put OIT up by four runs (4-0) thanks to a RBI on a Warrior error before Ashleigh Larson capped the Owls' scoring with a run-scoring ground out that made the score 5-0 in favor of the home team.

Corban would get its two runs in the top of the third inning when Nippert drew a two-out walk before stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch. With runners on the corners, Feb ropped a RBI single to right field allowing Nippert to score before Winckler doubled to left field to bring home Conard following her two-out walk. After two-and-a-half innings of play, the visiting Warriors had dwindled OIT's lead down to three runs (5-2).

Unfortunately, the nationally-ranked Owls would not go away quietly when Oregon Tech plated three quick runs in the bottom of the third inning thanks to a lead off double by Taylor Schmidt before she came home on a Kayde Schaefer single that forced Corban's fourth-year head coach Nathan Ohta to make a pitching change. Despite a new look in the circle, OIT continued to pound out the hits with Cherry registering a RBI single to left field before Shauna Collins lifted a sacrifice fly to left field allowing Schaefer to score the Owls' eighth run making the score 8-2.

Oregon Tech would close out the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when Collins roped a double to center field that brought home Cromie before Larson ended the game with a sacrifice fly to right field with the bases loaded that scored Cherry and evoked the eight-run mercy rule (10-2) after five innings.

Corban would get a perfect 2-for-2 showing from Feb with one RBI, while Nippert, Winckler, and Castronovo each collected a hit for the Warriors. Senior Makenzie Marchbanks (Sweet Home, Ore.) went the opening 2.0 innings allowing eight runs (six earned) on five hits before turning the ball over to junior Brittany Wagner (Oregon City, Ore.) for the final 3.0 innings of work.

Oregon Tech was led offensively by Schmidt and Cherry, who each went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate to go along with a complete game performance by Jackie Imhof allowing two earned runs on five hits with a game-high 10 strikeouts.

GAME #2 – OREGON TECH 13, CORBAN 5 (6 INNINGS)

In the finale, Corban would take a three-run lead (4-1) after two-and-a-half innings thanks to a three-run home run by Winckler in the top of the second inning before Conard blasted a solo home run in the top of the third inning for an early Warrior lead.

Unfortunately, Oregon Tech would get four quick runs in the bottom of the third inning when Larson singled home Collins via a RBI single before Schmidt belted a three-run home run one batter lated to give the host Owls a one-run lead (5-4) that they would never relinquish.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, OIT would put six more runs on the board thanks to a RBI single by Larson before Schaefer crushed a grand slam followed by a solo home run by Sara Coates that extended the Owls' lead to seven runs (11-4).

Corban would get one run back in the top of the fifth inning thanks to a Conard's second solo home run of the game, but it was too little, too late for the visiting Warriors.

Oregon Tech quickly got the run back in the bottom of the fifth inning when Larson registered her third RBI of the game via a solo home run that made the score 12-5 in favor of the home team.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Oregon Tech scored the game's final run on a bases loaded sacrifice fly by Coates that brought home Schmidt and ended the double header on another eight-run mercy rule (13-5).

Conard would lead Corban's offense with a 2-for-3 performance that included three runs scored and two RBI, while Winckler drove in the Warriors' other three runs via her lone hit of the game. In the circle, Winckler began the game going the opening 2.1 innings allowing five earned runs on eight hits before turning the ball over to Marchbanks and Wagner for the final 3.0 innings combined.

Oregon Tech would get a perfect 4-for-4 performance from Larson that included four runs scored and three RBI, while Schmidt went the opening 2.1 innings allowing four earned runs on four hits before giving the ball to Imhof for the final 3.2 innings. The first-year Owl would allow just one earned run on one hit en route to picking up her 11th win of the season.

With today's results, Corban falls to 15-12 overall and 7-5 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Meanwhile, Oregon Tech pushes its conference-high winning streak to seven games improving to 23-7 overall and 9-1 in league games. The Warriors will return to the diamond on Friday, April 8th, against The College of Idaho beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Warrior Field in Salem.