BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2

PORTLAND, Ore. – The NAIA's No. 17-ranked Corban softball team closed out the opening weekend of Cascade Collegiate Conference play with a split against Concordia, 2-1 & 0-3, Saturday at Delta Park.

Corban (13-5, 3-1 CCC) would get a combined three hits from senior Brittany Chestnut, while fellow senior Stephanie Nippert belted her team-leading ninth home run of the season to go along with game-winning sacrifice fly by junior Courtney Castronovo in the opener.

In the circle, sophomore Jessica Slate went the distance in Game #1 allowing one earned run on four hits with five strikeouts. Senior Chelsea Schriber would also go the distance in the finale allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits.

Concordia (17-6, 3-1 CCC) was led offensively by Robin Gawlista with a combined three hits, while Laura Luther drove in a pair of runs for the Cavaliers. Ashley Suter would get the start in both games for Concordia allowing two earned runs in the opener on three hits before giving up just two hits in Game #2, while striking out a combined 19 batters. Danielle Orvella would pitch the final 2.0 innings in the finale allowing just two hits en route to earning the save.

GAME #1 – CORBAN 2, CONCORDIA 1

In Saturday's opener, Corban would get on the board first when Nippert registered a two-out solo home run over the left field fence for the 62nd long ball of her career that pulled her within 14 of the NAIA's all-time record and put the visiting Warriors ahead by the score of 1-0.

Concordia would tie the game in the bottom of the fourth inning when Taylor Copher led off with a double to left field before coming home on a sacrifice fly by Luther that tied the game at 1-1.

In the top of the sixth inning, Corban would retake the lead (2-1) when Castronovo lifted a sacrifice fly into left field that allowed Nippert to score from third after she led off the inning with an intentional walk.

Over the final two innings, Concordia went in order thanks to solid pitching by Corban's Slate as she picked up third win of the year despite allowing her first earn run this season.

Corban would get hits from Chestnut, Nippert, and senior Liane DeHart, while putting 10 runners on base thanks to seven walks.

Concordia would get hits from Tobey Varney, Copher, Jennifer Lutton, and Gawlista, as Suter suffered the heart-breaking loss despite striking out a game-high 12 Corban batters.

GAME #2 – CONCORDIA 3, CORBAN 0

In the finale, Concordia scored three unanswered runs and then realied on timely defense and solid pitching down the stretch to earn the win.

The host Cavaliers would put two runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when Luther ripped a run-scoring single to right center that scored Copher with the eventual game-winning run before Gawlista brought Luther home one batter later for a 2-0 Cavalier lead.

Trailing by two runs in the top of the fifth inning, Corban had a chance to pull ahead when Nippert was intentionally walked for the third time in the game and senior Erica Fitzgerald drew a two-out walk putting runners at second and third. Castronovo would then step to the plate and belted a deep fly ball into left center field that Concordia's center fielder kept in the ballpark by robbing a three-run home run to end the inning and keep the Cavaliers in the lead.

One inning later, Corban would have another chance when sophomores Kyrianna Sorensen and AmyLee Perrine drew back-to-back walks before DeHart ripped a seeing-eye single into left field to load the bases with no outs. The next two Warriors would create outs putting Nippert at the plate with Concordia having to pitch to her since there was no place to put her intentionally. Unfortunately for the Warriors, Nippert would come up empty on her lone registered at-bat of the game when she lifted a fly ball into right field that ended the inning.

Concordia would add another run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Kyndell Andrews drew a bases loaded walk that scored Cassidy Horner for a 3-0 lead for the host Cavaliers.

Corban could not muster much offense in its final at-bat, as the Warriors remain within a single game of first place in the conference standings despite the loss.

Chestnut would lead the Warriors' offense with two hits, while Conard and DeHart were the only other Corban players with a hit.

Concordia was led offensively by Gawlista with a 2-for-3 showing with one run batted in, while four other Cavaliers recorded a hit.

Corban will return to the diamond on Friday, March 15th, in an afternoon double header against The College of Idaho beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Warrior Field in Salem.