BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2

SALEM, Ore. – Senior Makenzie Marchbanks (Sweet Home, Ore.) threw her first career no-hitter and the second in school history, as Corban's softball team swept the visiting Mountaineers of Eastern Oregon, 11-1 & 9-0, Saturday at Warrior Field.

In a pair of games that featured five combined home runs by the Warriors, it was Corban's pitching that was dominent with junior Brittany Wagner (Oregon City, Ore.) going the distance in the first game allowing a mere one unearned run on two hits before Marchbanks held the Mountaineers without a hit and struck out a game-high 10 EOU batters.

Offensively, sophomore Rachel Conard (Merlin, Ore.) went a combined 4-for-6 with two home runs, three runs scored, and a combined five RBI. Fellow sophomore Stephanie Nippert (Rocklin, Calif.) was 2-for-3 with a pair of home runs, five runs scored, and two runs batted in.

GAME #1 – CORBAN 11, EASTERN OREGON 1 (5 INNINGS)

In the opener, Corban got the scoring started early as Nippert hit a two-out solo home run over the center field fence before junior Emma Winckler (Eltopia, Wash.) singled up the middle with runners on first and second allowing Conard to score. Winckler and sophomore Tamara Feb (Oregon City, Ore.) would plate the Warriors' final runs of the inning on a EOU error that made the score 4-0 in favor of the home team.

Corban would add to its lead in the bottom of the second inning when Conard singled up the middle to drive in freshman Lounette Jackson (Escalon, Calif.) before Feb ripped a two-run single up the middle to bring home Nippert and sophomore Liane DeHart (Kent, Wash.) for a 7-0 Warrior lead.

In the bottom of the third inning, junior Abbie Pynch (Stayton, Ore.) pushed Corban's lead to double digits with her first home run as a Warrior via a three-run shot before Conard blasted a two-out solo home run over the right field fence to cap Corban's scoring and push the Warriors' lead to 11-0.

Neither team would score in the fourth inning, as Eastern Oregon final got its first hit in the top of the fifth inning thanks to a lead off single by Sarah Jackson. The Mountaineers would get on the board four batters later when Suzie Espinoza drove home Jackson on a ground out that made the final score 11-1 in favor of Corban.

Conard led the Warriors' offense with a perfect 3-for-3 showing that included two runs scored and a pair of RBI, while Feb was 2-for-2 with a run scored and two runs batted in. Six other Corban players – Pynch, DeHart, Nippert, Winckler, sophomore Erica Fitzgerald (Beaverton, Ore.), and Jackson – registered hits, while Wagner went the distance en route to securing her first complete game of the season.

Eastern Oregon was led offensively by Jackson and McKenzie Desin, who registered a hit each to go along with a pair of pitching performances by Jennifer McDonnell and Espinoza. McDonnell went the opening 2.0 innings allowing nine runs (six earned) on nine hits before turning the ball over to Espinoza for the final six outs.

GAME #2 – CORBAN 9, EASTERN OREGON 0

In the finale, Corban plated three runs in the bottom of the first inning when Feb ripped a one-run single to left field before Winckler drove in a pair with a single up the middle that made the score 3-0 in favor of the Warriors.

Neither team would put any runs on the board in the second inning, but Corban added three more in the bottom of the third inning when Nippert led off with her team and conference-leading 14th home run of the season before freshman Courtney Castronovo (Salem, Ore.) and Fitzgerald registered run-scoring singles the made the score 6-0.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Corban added another three runs thanks to a three-run home run by Conard following a single by DeHart and a walk to Nippert. Conard's fifth home run of the season sailed over the left center field fence to cap the game's scoring, as Corban picked up its first sweep in 10 days with the nine-run victory in the night cap.

DeHart and Feb led the Warriors' offense with two hits each, while five other Corban players – Nippert, Conard, Winckler, Castronovo, and Fitzgerald – registered a hit each. Marchbanks allowed just one walk and hit one batter en route to pitching a no-hitter, as she used 72 pitches (46 strikes) to work through the Mountaineers' lineup.

Eastern Oregon would get two runners on base, but neither Mountaineer advanced past first as the game's final out came via a pick off at first by Corban's catcher.

With today's sweep, Corban improves to 18-13 overall and 10-6 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Meanwhile, Eastern Oregon falls to 4-24 overall and 1-15 in league games. The Warriors will be back in action on Saturday, April 16th, against the Cavaliers of Concordia beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Warrior Field.