BOX SCORE

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Senior Emma Winckler was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate and junior Stephanie Nippert hit her 23rd home run of the season, as Corban's softball team opened the 2012 Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship Series with a 9-3 loss to top-seeded and the NAIA's No. 7-ranked Oregon Tech Friday at OIT's Softball Complex.

With today's result, Corban falls to 31-12 overall and Oregon Tech improves to 38-7 on the season.

Along with Winckler's perfect performance at the plate, fellow senior Abbie Pynch and sophomore Lounette Jackson each registered a pair of hits for the Warriors. Nippert, junior Brittany Chestnut, and junior Chynna Sandhop were the only other Warriors to record hits on the afternoon.

Junior Amy Greenough went the opening 5.2 innings for Corban allowing nine earned runs on eight hits en route to suffering her seventh loss of the season. Freshman reliever Jessica Slate came in and got the final out against Oregon Tech, as she pitched a perfect 0.1 innings.

Oregon Tech would get the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning when Shauna Collins ripped a leadoff double to right center before advancing to third on a ground out by Jess Plummer. The next Owl batter – Kayde Schaefer – then drove in the game's first run via a single to center field that scored Collins and gave OIT an early 1-0 lead.

Corban would answer back in the top of the fourth when Nippert led off the Warriors' at-bat with her 23rd home run of the season via a solo shot over the left field fence, as she moved into third place all along in NAIA history in career home runs with 53 to tie the game at 1-1.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Oregon Tech wasted no time in regaining the lead when Melissa Logan launched a three-run home run to right center that scored pinch-runner Ashley Sfetku and Janelle Cromie for a three-run OIT lead (4-1).

The visiting Warriors would fight back in the top of the fifth inning, as Chestnut and Sandhop recorded back-to-back one-out hits before Nippert drew a walk to load the bases. Corban's next batter – junior Rachel Conard – then lifted a sacrifice fly to right field that allowed Chestnut to score from third cutting Oregon Tech's lead to two runs (4-2).

One inning later, Corban plated its third and final run of the game thanks to a RBI single to center field by Pynch that scored freshman pinch runner Shelby Mauermann. The Warriors had a chance to take control of the game, as Corban loaded the bases with two outs after Sandhop was hit by a pitch allowing Nippert to step to the plate and forced OIT to pitch to this year's CCC Player of the Year. Unfortunately for the Warriors, Nippert was unable to bring the runners home and Oregon Tech survived giving up only one run and leading by a single run (4-3).

Oregon Tech would take full advantage of the situation in the top of the sixth inning when the host Owls scored five runs on four hits with the back-breaker coming via a grand slam by Collins that capped the game's scoring with OIT earning a six-run victory (9-3).

The host Owls were led offensively by Collins and Logan with a pair of two-hit performance, while Collins added two runs scored and four RBI to go along with a two-run, three-RBI performance by Logan. CCC Pitcher of the Year Taylor Schmidt went the distance for Oregon Tech allowing three earned runs on 11 hits with a game-high four strikeouts en route to picking up her 25th win of the season.

Both teams will face off again tomorrow – Saturday, May 5th – in the second game of the best-of-three series starting at noon at OIT's Softball Complex.

If Oregon Tech wins, then the Hustlin' Owls will earn the conference's automatic berth to the NAIA Softball National Championships for the second straight year. Meanwhile, Corban has a chance to extend the series to a third and deciding game with a victory in Game #2 on Saturday with Game #3 starting at approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of tomorrow's opener, if necessary.