BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2

TACOMA, Wash. – The NAIA's No. 10-ranked Corban softball team ran its winning streak to 12 games with a non-conference sweep over Puget Sound, 8-0 & 11-1, as senior Stephanie Nippert became only the second player in NAIA history to hit 70-or-more career home runs with a pair of long balls Wednesday at Logger Field.

With today's offensive performance, Nippert joined former Lubbock Christian three-time All-American Kim Frazier as the only two players in NAIA history to hit 70 home runs in a career. Nippert also pulled within six home runs of tying Frazier's NAIA record-breaking of 76 career home runs for the Lady Chaps.

Corban (25-5) was led offensively by Nippert and junior Courtney Castronovo with four hits each, while senior Chynna Sandhop and sophomore Kyrianna Sorensen collected three hits apiece. Nippert scored a team-high four runs to go along with five runs batted in, while the two-time defending Cascade Collegiate Conference Player of the Year also hit a pair of home runs in the wins.

In the circle, senior Amy Greenough got the start in Game #1 allowing just two hits in 4.0 innings of work before freshman Danielle Horne pitched the final 2.0 innings allowing just one hit. Freshman Samantha Gutwig would go the distance in the finale allowing one earned run on five hits to go along with a game and career-high eight strikeouts.

Puget Sound (0-23) got a combined two hits each by Amy Schmeeckpeper and Marissa Jeffers, while Chelsea Lindroth, Taylor Jones, and Jenica Holt tallied a hit each for the Loggers.

Megan Campbell went the distance in the circle for Puget Sound in Game #1 allowing eight earned runs on 10 hits to go along with a game-high three strikeouts, while Shannon Reed pitched all 6.0 innings in the finale allowing 11 earned runs on nine hits with six K's.

GAME #1 — CORBAN 8, PUGET SOUND 0 (6 INNINGS)

In Wednesday's opener, Corban got on the board early with three runs in the top of the first inning thanks to a pair of sacrifice flies by sophomore Lounette Jackson and senior Erica Fitzgerald to go along with a run-scoring single to center field by Castronovo giving the visting Warriors a 3-0 lead after their first at-bat.

Nippert would extend Corban's lead to four runs (4-0) in the top of the second inning on a run-scoring single to center field that brought home senior Brittany Chestnut following her one-out walk one batter earlier.

Two innings later, Corban would add to its lead going ahead by five runs (5-0) thanks to a RBI single to center field by Sandhop that scored Chestnut for the second time in the opener.

In the top of the fifth inning, Sorensen would increase Corban's lead to six runs (6-0) on a run-scoring double to left center field that scored Castronovo after she registered a two-out single to left field.

Nippert would put Corban ahead by eight runs (8-0) in the top of the sixth inning, as she belted her 16th home run of the season down the left field line that also scored Sandhop following her two-out single to left field.

Despite Puget Sound loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Loggers could not get on the scoreboard thanks to a game-ending unassisted double play by Nippert at first base that helped Corban preserve the victory.

Nippert, Sandhop, Castronovo, and Sorensen all registered two hits for the Warriors, as Nippert drove in a game-high three runs.

Puget Sound got hits from Lindroth, Jones, and Holt, as the Loggers could not muster a lot of offense against Corban's pitching.

GAME #2 — CORBAN 11, PUGET SOUND 1 (6 INNINGS)

Wednesday's finale would begin as a pitcher's dual over the opening three innings until Corban erupted for six runs on four hits in the top of the fourth inning. The visiting Warriors would begin the scoring on a RBI double to left center by Fitzgerald that scored Nippert following her leadoff single through the left side and steal of second base. With runners on first and second, Castronovo stepped to the plate and belted her ninth home run of the season over the left center field fence for a three-run round tripped that scored senior Rachel Conard and Fitzgerald with the eventual game-winning run. Two batters later, Sorensen would hit her third home run of the year via a two-run bomb that also scored Jackson after she was hit by a pitch to put the visiting Warriors ahead by six runs (6-0).

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Puget Sound's Jeffers would leadoff the at-bat with her third home run of the season over the left center fence for the Loggers' lone run of the afternoon that pulled UPS within five runs (6-1).

Neither team would score again until the top of the sixth inning when Corban put five more runs on the scoreboard thanks to a RBI single by sophomore Shelby Mauermann, a two-run double by Sandhop, and Nippert's second home run of the afternoon via a two-run moon shot that cleared the right center field fence for an 11-1 lead for Corban.

Castronovo and Nippert collected two hits each, as the duo combined for five RBIs. Five other Warriors – Sandhop, Fitzgerald, sophomore AmyLee Perrine, Sorensen, and Mauermann – all collected hits for Corban, while Nippert, Castronovo, and Jackson scored two runs each.

Puget Sound would get two-hit efforts by Schmeckpeper and Jeffers, while Briana Huber collected the Loggers' only other hit in Game #2.

Corban will return to action tomorrow – Thursday, March 28th – against British Columbia in an afternoon double header beginning at 2:00 p.m. in Vancouver, British Columbia.