BOX SCORE

CLACKAMAS, Ore. – Junior Stephanie Nippert used her bat and fellow junior Chelsea Schriber used her arm, as Corban's No. 23-ranked softball team defeated the Thunderbirds of British Columbia, 12-4 in five innings, Sunday at the Northwest Cup played at Hood View Park.

Nippert helped lead the Warriors' offense with a perfect 3-for-3 performance with three runs scored and five runs batted in, while sophomore Lounette Jackson also went 3-for-3 at the plate with one run scored and one RBI. Junior Liane DeHart and sophomore Courtney Castronovo also collected two hits each, while senior Emma Winckler and junior Rachel Conard each registered a hit in the victory.

Schriber went the opening 4.2 innings allowing four earned runs on six hits to go along with a game-high five strikeouts, while freshman Jessica Slate came into the game in relief for the final out of the game.

Corban would open the game scoring 12 unanswered runs that included one in the first inning before the Warriors exploded for five runs in the top of the second inning that was highlighted by a leadoff solo home run by Jackson and a two-run double by Nippert. Once the dust had settled, Corban held a 6-0 lead after two at-bats.

After a scoreless third inning, Corban put three more runs on the board in the top of the fourth inning thanks to a two-run double by Winckler and a run-scoring single by Conard that extended the Warriors' lead to nine runs (9-0).

Knowing that solid defense and a little more offense could end the game early, Corban added three more runs in the top of the fifth inning via back-to-back home runs by Nippert and Castronovo that extended the Warriors' lead to 12-0.

Fortunately for Corban, British Columbia had given up 12 unanswered runs through the opening four-and-a-half inning, as the Thunderbirds put four runs on the board with one swing of the bat – a grand slam by Jesslyn Hodge – in their final at-bat to pull UBC within eight runs (12-4). Not wanting to see the game extended another inning, the Warriors' defense stepped up to the challenge following a T-bird single to get the final out as Corban pushed its season-high winning streak to five games.

Tayla Westgard led UBC's offensive attack with a perfect 2-for-2 performance at the plate, while Hodge recorded a team-high four runs batted in. In the circle for the T-Birds, Nicole Day went the opening 3.1 innings allowing nine runs (five earned) on eight hits before Alana Westerhof closed out the final 1.2 innings for British Columbia.

With today's opening win, Corban improves to 9-2 overall and British Columbia falls to 4-11-1 on the season. The Warriors will conclude play at the Northwest Cup this afternoon – Sunday, February 19th – against cross town rival Willamette beginning at 3:00 p.m. at Hood View Park in Clackamas.