BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2

SALEM, Ore. – A combined six home runs by Simpson would spell the end for the NAIA's No. 17-ranked Corban, as the Warriors fell victim to the long ball Saturday dropping both games to the visiting Redhawks, 5-0 & 7-6, on Warrior Field.

Corban (10-4) was led offensively by seniors Erica Fitzgerald and Stephanie Nippert with three combined hits each, while junior Courtney Castronovo collected a pair of hits that included her fourth home run of the season. Senior Chynna Sandhop, senior Liane DeHart, senior Brittany Chestnut, and senior Rachel Conard all had at least one hit for the host Warriors, while Fitzgerald drove in a team-high two runs on the afternoon.

In the circle for Corban, senior Amy Greenough went the distance in the opener allowing five earned runs on eight hits. Senior Chelsea Schriber would get the ball to start the finale allowing four earned runs on eight hits over 5.0 innings of work before freshman Samantha Gutwig and sophomore Jessica Slate combined to pitch the final 2.0 innings allowing three earned runs on four hits.

Simpson (10-7) got a phenomenal afternoon from Kara Wall with a combined 4-for-8 performance at the plate that included three runs scored and six runs batted in on three home runs. The Redhawks also got multiple hits from Chelsea Dunn, Cherie DeJesus, Noel Montes, and Morgan Davis, while Emily Stokes went the distance in the opener allowing just three hits and struck out 12 Warrior batters. In Game #2, Caryle Avey went the opening 6.2 innings allowing six runs (five earned) on 11 hits before turning the ball over to Katie Bell for the final out en route to picking up the save.

GAME #1 – SIMPSON 5, CORBAN 0

The opening game on Saturday would begin as a pitcher's dual, as neither team scored until the top of the third inning when Simpson got a RBI single back to the pitcher from Aleisha Brown that allowed Marisa Marmolejo to score following her lead off walk.

Two innings later, Simpson added another run when Dunn grounded out to Corban's shortstop that allowed Nicole Hutchins to cross the plate to make the score 2-0 in favor of the visiting Redhawks.

In the top of the seventh inning, Simpson would blow the game wide open with three solo home runs off the bats of Davis, Dunn, and Wall for the final tally of 5-0.

Chestnut, Nippert, and Castronovo would each register hits for Corban, as no Warrior runner advanced past second base during the game.

Davis and Wall each tallied two hits for Simpson, while Dunn drove in a pair of runs for the Redhawks.

GAME #2 – SIMPSON 7, CORBAN 6

Saturday's finale would be a different story for Corban, as the host Warriors jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when Castronovo reached on a Simpson error that allowed Conard to come home following her lead off walk.

In the top of the third inning, Simpson would erase its one-run deficit with a two-run home run by Wall that cleared the right center field fence before DeJesus unleashed a solo home run one batter later to put the Redhawks ahead by two runs (3-1).

Corban would battle back to tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the third inning when Nippert doubled to center field to score Dehart after she registered a lead off infield single. Conard would then step to the plate and bring home Nippert with a double to right field that tied the score once again.

In the top of the fifth inning, Simpson retook the lead on a single to right field by Montes that scored Dunn and put the Redhawks ahead by a single run (4-3).

After a pitching change by Corban to begin the sixth inning, Simpson's Wall would seemingly put the game out of reach with one swing of the bat as she deposited a ball over the left field fence for the three-run blast that handed the Redhawks a four-run lead (7-3).

Castronovo would lead off the bottom of the sixth inning with a solo home run over the center field fence to bring Corban within three runs (7-4).

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Corban attempted one final comeback as Fitzgerald ripped a two-out double to right center that scored Sandhop and Nippert and pulled the Warriors within a single run (7-6). Following a pitching change by Simpson and a substitution by Corban that brought in sophomore pinch-runner Shelby Mauermann, Castronovo lifted a deep fly ball to center field that was tracked down and caught by Simpson to end the game and handed the visiting Redhawks a two-game sweep by the final score of 7-6.

Fitzgerald would lead Corban's offense with a 3-for-4 performance that included a pair of RBI, while Sandhop and Nippert each tallied two hits for the Warriors.

Simpson would get multiple hit performances from Dunn, Wall, DeJesus, and Montes, while Wall drove in a game-high five runs on a pair of home runs.

Corban will return to the diamond on Friday, March 8th, in its Cascade Collegiate Conference opener with a double header against Northwest University beginning at 2:00 p.m. in Kirkland, Washington.