PORTLAND, Ore. – The No. 25 Corban University softball team claimed early leads in both games of its doubleheader at No. 17 Concordia University, but the Warriors couldn't hang on, as the Cavaliers escaped with two come-from-behind victories. The Navy and Gold dropped game one, 3-2, before coming up short in the second contest, 4-3.

"The girls played a couple of decent games today, but came up on the short end of things," said head coach Nathan Ohta. "Our conference is showing how good all the top teams really are, and we are right in the thick of it. These games will make us better, and we'll be ready for them when they come to our place next month."

No. 17 Concordia 3, No. 25 Corban 2 (Game One)  

Although Corban mustered an early two-run lead in the first inning, the Warriors' bats fell flat, as Concordia stormed from behind to claim game one, 3-2.

Senior third baseman Kyrianna Sorensen (Salem, Ore.) led the Navy and Gold with a 2-for-2 effort, including a solo home run in her first at-bat. Sophomore center-fielder Annie Owen (Corvallis, Ore.) also dialed in a homer, but Corban's only other hit came from sophomore catcher Danielle Ackerman (Dallas, Ore.).

Junior pitcher Emily Buhrkuhl (Stockton, Calif.) got tacked with her fourth loss of the year, as she yielded two earned runs in 5.2 innings for the Navy and Gold. 

Corban jumped on Concordia early, as Owen smacked a leadoff homer to left field to claim a 1-0 advantage. Sorensen showed she could do just the same, as she knocked one out of the park to right center to give the Navy and Gold a 2-0 advantage. However, the Warriors would only tally two hits for the remainder of the game.

In the bottom of the second, the Cavaliers responded with a run and a pair of hits to pull within one (2-1). An inning later, the Warriors displayed some alertness on the defensive end, as junior shortstop Kali Van Cleave (Portland, Ore.) snagged a line drive with one out and fired it over to sophomore first baseman Kylie Durre (Bend, Ore.) for the critical double play to end the frame.

After Corban failed to compile a hit in the top half of the fourth, Concordia tied the game (2-2) due to a Warrior throwing error. With one out and runners the corners, senior left-fielder Sam Owirka reached on a fielder's choice, as Sorensen fired over to Ackerman to get the force out at home, and then Buhrkuhl compelled a ground out to retire the side.

Although the Navy and Gold forced two quick outs in the bottom of the sixth, the Cavaliers went on to load the bases, and Concordia eventually drew a bases loaded walk to take a 3-2 lead. With one last chance to stay alive in the top of the seventh, Corban couldn't record a hit en route to the one-run defeat.

No. 17 Concordia 4, No. 25 Corban 3 (Game Two)

Although Corban matched Concordia with seven hits as a team, the Warriors yielded a late homer and fell to the Cavaliers in game two, 4-3.

Owen batted 2-for-4 with an RBI in the losing effort, while Ackerman hit her first-career home run and led the Warriors with two RBI.

In the circle, junior hurler Jessica Holsinger (Eagle, Idaho) suffered her fsecond loss of the season, as she tossed eight strikeouts and surrendered seven hits and a quartet of earned runs.

After Concordia commanded an early 2-0 lead, the Cavaliers had a chance to add to the damage in the bottom of the second frame, as they loaded the bases with only one out. However, Holsinger managed to escape the jam, as she forced a foul out and notched a strikeout to end the inning.  

After booking just one hit in the opening two frames, Corban exploded for a trio of runs in the third to take the lead. Junior designated hitter Jamie Costa (Tracy, Calif.) opened with a leadoff single, and then Owen belted an RBI single to score freshman pinch runner Maddy Melton (Salem, Ore.) to pull the Warriors within one (2-1). Ackerman then followed Owen's single with a long bomb to left field to give the Navy and Gold a 3-2 advantage.

Corban had a chance to extend its lead in the fifth, as the Navy and Gold put runners on the corners following a one-out, bunt single by Owen, but the Warriors couldn't drive in any runs.

The Cavaliers went on to register solo home runs in the fifth and sixth innings to claim a 4-3 advantage, and the Warriors compiled just one hit in the final two frames on the way to their second one-run heartbreaker of the day.

The Navy and Gold will look to bounce back tomorrow in a doubleheader against Northwest University in Kirkland, Wash. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.