ATHERTON, Calif. – The Corban University softball team dominated Menlo College on the road on Friday afternoon, sweeping the Oaks in convincing fashion. The Warriors won game one on Friday, 12-3, while taking game two, 10-2. The Warriors' 7-1 record is the best start to a season through eight games in program history.
While having to come from behind in both contests, the Warriors scored in bunches in the later innings of both games, resulting in the lopsided victories. Overall on the season, Corban has outscored its opponents, 57-19. The triumph also marks Corban's sixth-straight victory, and seventh overall on the year.
In game one, Corban jumped on top in the first frame but the Oaks responded with two in the second inning, and they held that lead until the fourth.
In the fourth inning, sophomore first baseman Kylie Durre (Bend, Ore.) reached on a fielder's choice, scoring freshman pinch-runner Maddy Melton (Salem, Ore.) on the play. Junior designated player Jamie Costa (Tracy, Calif.) then registered an RBI groundout, scoring senior third baseman Kyrianna Sorensen (Salem, Ore.).
The game was still close at this point with the Warriors leading by just one run, but the Navy and Gold opened the game up with six runs in the top of the fifth to grab full control of the contest. Junior pinch-hitter McCayla Hoffman (Bothell, Wash.) provided Corban with the big hit in the inning, launching a three-run shot over the left-field wall.
While Menlo would pull one run back in the bottom half of the frame, Durre stepped up and homered over the right-field fence, scoring Sorensen on the play. Costa then added on another homerun for Corban in the seventh for good measure, hitting her long-ball over the right-field wall as well.
Junior pitcher Emily Buhrkuhl (Stockton, Calif.) pitched five innings in the victory, dispersing just three hits and two unearned runs along the way while striking out four, while junior pitcher Danielle Horne (Vacaville, Calif.) came on in relief and went two innings, giving up just one hit and one run.
At the dish, Sorensen led the way with a 3-for-4 performance, three runs scored, and one RBI, while Hoffman and Durre both finished with one hit and three RBI.
If game one was exciting, then game two was nerve-racking come-from-behind blowout win, if there is such a thing.
Sorensen continued her hot streak at the plate for Corban, blasting a homerun to right field to put the Warriors up 1-0 in the third frame.
The Oaks responded with one run in both the third and the fourth innings, and the score remained in Menlo's favor, 2-1, heading into the sixth frame. The Warriors had a number of opportunities throughout the nightcap to tie the game or even take the lead, but Corban left the bases loaded on a couple of occasions, stranding 13 base-runners in all.
The sixth inning came for the Navy and Gold though, and the Warriors showed true patience at the plate, racking up seven walks in the frame en route to scoring eight runs to take a commanding lead. The only RBI of the inning that did not come via a walk occurred when freshman first baseman Jaslyn Rush (Stockton, Calif.) ripped a two-RBI single to left field for the Warriors.
Corban added one more in the seventh frame for extra insurance, and junior pitcher Jessica Holsinger (Eagle, Idaho) finished off the Oaks for the win in the bottom half of the seventh. Holsinger went the distance in the win, scattering just three hits while allowing two runs and striking out seven batters.
At the plate, sophomore shortstop Paige Martin (Portland, Ore.) racked up three hits in the game while scoring one run, and Rush tallied two hits and a team-best three RBI in the game-two triumph. Sophomore designated player Anne Binschus (Gig Harbor, Wash.) also had a good day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one RBI in the nightcap.
"It is always nice to go on the road and pick up the sweep," said head coach Nathan Ohta. "The girls came out swinging in both games, but Menlo made a couple of really good defensive plays early in both games that kept us from really getting things firing on all cylinders. Emily and Jess did a great job of keeping their offense in check and giving our hitters a chance to break through. The girls did a great job of keeping the pressure on and were able to have a couple of really big innings. Today really was a great team effort and there were a lot of players that contributed to our wins today."
The Warriors (7-1) return to action tomorrow when they take on Menlo (0-4) again for another doubleheader. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
