BOX SCORE

PORTLAND, Ore. – Corban's No. 11-ranked softball team took advantage of 11 walks in the first game of the NAIA Opening Rounds to defeat Cascade Collegiate Conference rival Concordia, 16-8 in six innings, Monday at Delta Park.

Despite Concordia outhitting Corban 14-to-9, the Warriors drew 10 more walks than the host Cavaliers and took advantage of multi-RBI games by senior Brittany Chestnut, senior Erica Fitzgerald, junior Courtney Castronovo, and junior Lounette Jackson.

Offensively, Jackson would lead Corban with a 3-for-4 performance that included three runs batted in to go along with a five-RBI afternoon by Chestnut that included a grand slam home run. Fitzgerald was the only other Warrior with a multi-hit game to go along with two RBIs, while Castronovo drove in two more runs for the Warriors.

Senior Chelsea Schriber would get the start for Corban allowing five earned runs on five hits in 1.0 innings of work before fellow senior Amy Greenough took over in the circle. Greenough would allow just three runs (two earned) on nine hits in 5.0 innings of work en route to earning her 14th win of the season.

For Concordia, Tobey Varney and Taylor Copher both went 3-for-4 at the plate with Cassidy Horner collecting three RBIs for the Cavaliers that included her ninth home run of the season. Mary Lugar would put together a 2-for-3 game with two RBIs and a pair of solo home runs.

All six batters that Concordia's starter McKenzie Marshall faced in the opening inning would come around to score, as she allowed six earned runs on three hits. Ashley Suter would take over in the circle for Marshall, as she allowed 10 runs (eight earned) on six hits with eight walks and four strikeouts.

Concordia would begin a wild opening inning scoring five runs on five hits that included a three-run home run off the bat of Horner followed by a solo home run by Lugar that capped the Cavaliers' scoring and handed the designated visiting team a five-run lead (5-0).

In the bottom of the first inning, Corban would answer back with six runs on three hits that included three straight run-scoring hits off the bats of senior Rachel Conard, Jackson and Fitzgerald that pulled the Warriors within two runs (5-3). Following a pitching change by Concordia and back-to-back strikeouts by the Cavaliers with the bases loaded, Corban drew three straight walks that included an intentional walk by senior Stephanie Nippert that tied the score at 5-5. Chestnut would then draw the Warriors' third and final walk of the inning giving Corban a slim one-run lead (6-5) after the first inning.

Concordia would answer back in the top of the second inning when Varney lifted a sacrifice fly into right field with the bases loaded to tie the game at 6-6 before Copher singled up the middle to give the Cavaliers a one-run advantage (7-6).

After two scoreless at-bats, Corban erupted for four runs on one hit in the bottom of the third inning when senior Chynna Sandhop was hit by a pitch to open the at-bat before fellow senior Liane DeHart reached on an error and Nippert was intentionally walked for the fourth time to load the bases. Chestnut would step into the box next for the Warriors and belted a grand slam over the center field fence to clear the bases and put Corban ahead for go by a margin of three runs (10-7).

In the top of the fifth inning, Concordia would pull within two runs (10-8) thanks to a leadoff home run by Lugar over the right center field fence as that is as close as the Cavaliers would get for the remainder of the game.

Corban would add four more runs to its total in the bottom of the fifth inning when Jackson ripped a two-run double to left field before Fitzgerald drove in Conard on a single to shortstop before Jackson score on an error giving the Warriors a six-run lead (14-8).

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Corban would end the game on one swing when Castronovo scored both Nippert and Chestnut on a game-ending, two-run double off the center field fence for the final margin of 16-8.

Corban will move into the winner's bracket of the Concordia (Ore.) Regional to face top-seeded and No. 10-ranked Saint Xavier tomorrow – Tuesday, May 14th – at 10:00 a.m. at Delta Park in the Rose City.