BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2

ASHLAND, Ore. – Senior Stephanie Nippert hit career home run number 76 to open the seventh inning in Game #1 to tie the NAIA's all-time record, as Corban's softball team earned a split with Southern Oregon, 5-3 & 1-2, Friday at University Field.

With her record-tying swing in the opener, Nippert equaled former Lubbock Christian three-time All-American Kim Frazier's career home run number as the duo nows sits atop the NAIA's career home run list and continued to add to her school, conference, and Oregon record.

Corban (33-11, 18-4 CCC) was led offensively by Nippert and fellow senior Brittany Chestnut with three hits each, while sophomore Kyrianna Sorensen was the only other Warrior to register more than one hit on the afternoon. Chestnut would drive in a team-high two runs, while Nippert scored a team-leading three runs in the two games.

Senior Amy Greenough would get the start in Game #1 for Corban allowing three earned runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings en route to earning her 10th win of the season. Fellow senior Chelsea Schriber would pitch the final 1.1 innings and earned her first career save before pitching a complete game in the finale. In Game #2, Schriber would allo two earned runs on six hits en route suffering her sixth loss of the year.

Southern Oregon (16-21, 12-12 CCC) would get a combined four hits by Ashley Lowe, as Stephanie Vandenbusch belted her fourth home run of the year in Game #2 for the Raiders.

Sydney White would pitch both games for Southern Oregon, as she allowed five earned runs on seven hits in the opener to go along with a game-high seven strikeouts before giving up one unearned run on three hits in the finale.

GAME #1 — CORBAN 5, SOUTHERN OREGON 3

In Friday's opener, Southern Oregon would grab a one-run lead (1-0) thanks to a RBI single up the middle by Jessia Flores in the bottom of the second inning that scored Julia Willison.

Corban would battle back to tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the third inning when Chestnut reached on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded that allowed Sorensen to score after she registered a leadoff infield single.

Southern Oregon would retake the lead (3-1) in the bottom of the third inning when Lowe doubled to left field allowing Vandenbusch and Willison to score with two outs.

In the top of the fifth inning, Corban would put three runs on the board on two hits en route to securing a one-run lead (4-3). Chestnut would drive in her second run of the game via a single up the middle that scored senior Liane DeHart before Nippert came home on a wild pitch that knotted the game at 3-3. One batter later, senior Rachel Conard singled down the right field line to score Chestnut with the eventual game-winning run as Corban took a 4-3 lead.

Two innings later, Nippert would etch her name in the record books when she deposited the first pitch that she saw to leadoff the top of the seventh inning over the right field fence to give Corban a two-run advantage (5-3). Nippert's solo home run was her 23rd of the season, which tied her own single-season program and Cascade Collegiate Conference records.

Despite a walk by Southern Oregon in the bottom of the seventh inning, Corban's defense kept the Raiders off the scoreboard thanks to a game-ending double play en route to securing the come-from-behind win (5-3).

Nippert, Chestnut, and Sorensen would tally two hits each for Corban, while Conard registered the visiting Warriors' only other hit in the opener.

Southern Oregon was led offensively by Lauren Keel, Lowe, and Flores with two hits each, while Lowe drove in two of the Raiders' three runs in Game #1.

GAME #2 — SOUTHERN OREGON 2, CORBAN 1

The finale would be a pitcher's duel over the opening two innings until Southern Oregon got on the board in the bottom of the second inning thanks to a RBI single by Irene Barrantes that scored Willison giving the host Raiders a one-run lead (1-0).

In the top of the fifth inning, Corban would tie the game (1-1) when Chestnut reached on a fielding error by SOU that allowed Nippert to score after she doubled to left center right before Chestnut's at-bat.

Southern Oregon would take the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth inning when Vandenbusch led off with a solo home run over the left field fence, as the Raiders earned a slim one-run lead (2-1).

In the top of the seventh inning, Corban would get an extra life when junior Lounette Jackson reached on a dropped fly ball that would have been the game-ending out. Unfortunately, the visiting Warriors could not tie the game when Southern Oregon got the final out via a fielder's choice to secure the 2-1 victory.

Nippert, Chestnut, and DeHart registered Corban's only hits, while Nippert scored her fourth run of the afternoon for the visiting Warriors.

Southern Oregon would get two hits each from Willison and Lowe, while Vandenbusch and Barrantes drove in the Raiders' two runs.

Corban will return to the diamond tomorrow – Saturday, April 20th – against the NAIA's No. 15-ranked Oregon Tech in a late-morning double header beginning at 11:00 a.m. at OIT's Softball Complex in Klamath Falls.