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KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – For the first time in program history, Corban's softball team swept the season series from Oregon Tech thanks to a pair of victories, 6-2 & 6-4 in nine innings, Saturday at OIT's Softball Complex.

In a battle between two teams ranked in the Top 15 in the latest NAIA Coaches' Poll, Corban (35-11, 20-4 CCC) earned its first wins in Klamath Falls and also earned the Warriors' first sweep of OIT on the road since March 27, 2009. At the same time, Corban earned its 20th Cascade Collegiate Conference victory of the season and helped the Warriors hit the 20-win mark in league games for the first time in program history.

Senior Chynna Sandhop and junior Courtney Castronovo led Corban offensively with a combined four hits each, while senior Erica Fitzgerald and junior Lounette Jackson tallied three hits each on the afternoon. Seniors Brittany Chestnut, Liane DeHart, and Stephanie Nippert each tallied two hits in the double header, while Jackson drove in a team-high three runs that included the game-winning runs in the finale.

In the opener, senior Amy Greenough pitched the first 6.0 innings for Corban allowing two earned runs on six hits en route to picking up her 11th win of the season before fellow senior Chelsea Schriber got the final three outs to preserve the victory. Schriber would toe the rubber for the opening 7.2 innings in Game #2, as she allowed four runs (two earned) on nine hits before turning the ball over to sophomore Jessica Slate for the final 1.1 innings. Slate would allow just two hits en route to earning her seventh win of the season, as she held OIT scoreless in relief.

Oregon Tech (35-14, 19-8 CCC) was led offensively by Jess Plummer, Taylor Schmidt, and Melissa Logan with a combined three hits each on the afternoon, while Shauna Collins and Alyssa Davis had two hits each for the host Owls. Collins, Coates, Davis, and Elise Goodell would drive in the runs for OIT, as Collins and Coates hit solo home runs for the Owls in Game #2.

Schmidt went the opening 2.0 innings in the opener for Oregon Tech allowing four earned runs on six hits before turning the ball over to Rylee Carleton and Logan, as the duo combined to allow two unearned runs on five hits in 5.0 innings of work. For OIT, Schmidt would suffer her sixth loss of the season versus 21 victories. Game #2 would see Carleton go the opening 5.2 innings, as she allowed four earned runs on seven hits before Logan took over in relief allowing two unearned runs on three hits in 3.1 innings of work en route to suffering her first loss of the year.

GAME #1 — CORBAN 6, OREGON TECH 2

Saturday's opener would see Corban put two runs on the board in the top of the first inning when senior Rachel Conard grounded out to first allowing Nippert to score before Fitzgerald doubled home Castronovo one batter later on a double to give the visiting Warriors a 2-0 lead.

Corban would extend its lead to three runs (3-0) in the top of the second inning when Nippert singled to left field to score Sandhop, as she led off the at-bat with a double.

In the top of the third inning, Corban would push its lead to four runs (4-0) on a triple by Sandhop that brought home Jackson after she led off the inning with a double to right center that caused an OIT pitching change.

Oregon Tech would pull within two runs (4-2) in the bottom of the third inning when Collins scored on a double play with the bases loaded before Davis singled to right field allowing Danielle Sayres to score from third.

In the top of the fourth inning, Corban would put its final two runs of the game on the board via a single by Castronovo that scored Nippert before Fitzgerald brought home Castronovo two batters later on a single that gave the visiting Warriors a four-run lead (6-2).

Oregon Tech would not threaten over the final three-and-a-half innings, as Corban secured its 34th win of the season and locked up the series over the Owls for the first time in program history.

Castronovo and Sandhop led Corban's offense with three hits each, while Fitzgerald added two hits and a pair of RBIs.

Oregon Tech would get a pair of hits from Plummer, while Davis registered the Owls' lone RBI of the game.

GAME #2 — CORBAN 6, OREGON TECH 4 (9 INNINGS)

In the finale on Saturday, Corban would get on the board early when Castronovo and Chestnut executed a perfect double steal that scored Chestnut gave the visiting Warriors a 1-0 lead.

Oregon Tech would battle back to take a two-run lead (3-1) after a solo home run by Collins in the bottom of the third inning and another solo shot by Coates to go along with a run-scoring single to left field by Goodell one inning later.

In the top of the sixth inning, Corban would fight back to take a one-run lead (4-3) thanks to RBI hits by Jackson, Fitzgerald, and sophomore Kyrianna Sorensen.

Oregon Tech would come back once again in the bottom of the sixth inning when Davis scored on a fielding error by Corban that tied the game at 4-4 after she led off the at-bat with a double to left field.

Neither team would score again until the top of the ninth inning, but Oregon Tech would threaten in the bottom of the seventh inning when the Owls loaded the bases with one out only to have Corban's defense step up to the challenge and preserved the tie.

In the top of the ninth inning, Nippert would leadoff with a single to center field before moving to third on an error by Oregon Tech that put Chestnut on base as well. After Chestnut was given second base uncontested, Oregon Tech got the next two Warrior hitters out via strikeouts. Jackson would then step to the plate for Corban and ripped a two-run single to left field that scored Nippert and Chestnut with the eventual game-winning runs, as the visiting Warriors grabbed a 6-4 lead.

Despite getting runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Oregon Tech could not get anyone home thanks to Corban's timely pitching and strong defense. The Warriors would earn the hard-fought victory (6-4), as Corban now stands a full two games ahead of Concordia in the win column for first place in the current league standings.

Jackson and Chestnut would tally two hits each for Corban in Game #2, while Jackson drove in a game-high three runs for the Warriors. Seven other Corban players would register a hit, as Chestnut scored three times in the finale.

Oregon Tech was led offensively by Schmidt with a 3-for-5 performance, while Logan added two hits as well for the Hustlin' Owls.

Corban will return to the action on Friday, April 26th, against Concordia in a mid-afternoon double header that begins at 2:00 p.m. on Warrior Field in Salem.