KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The No. 24 Corban University softball team erased a nine-run deficit and rallied to knock off No. 16 Concordia University, 11-9, in game two of the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) Tournament. Sophomore center-fielder Annie Owen (Corvallis, Ore.) capped an eight-run fifth inning with a two-out grand slam to propel the Warriors to victory.  

"Concordia is a really good team, and they came out fired up and as ready to play as anybody we've faced all year," said head coach Nathan Ohta. "They jumped all over us early, but the girls dug deep, kept competing and fought their way back into the game. We had a lot of girls come up with huge plays, big pitches, and great at-bats. It was a great team effort, a huge win for the program, and a great day to be a Warrior!"

Owen finished the afternoon 2-for-4 for the Navy and Gold, while junior designated player Jamie Costa (Tracy, Calif.) also went 2-for-4 with four RBI, including a three-run shot in the fourth to register Corban's first runs of the ball game. Sophomore left-fielder Taylor Eilders (Cameron Park, Calif.) collected two hits and one RBI, while senior right-fielder RaeAnna Dorcas (Everett, Wash.) batted 1-for-2 with an RBI as well. With long bombs by Owen and Costa, Corban imrpoved to 17-3 on the season when it musters two or more home runs in a game. 

In the circle, freshman pitcher Sabrina Boyd (Pleasant Hill, Ore.) tossed for 4.2 innings and collected her seventh victory of the 2015 campaign. Meanwhile, junior hurler Danielle Horne (Vacaville, Calif.) gathered her fourth save of the year, as she yielded just one hit in the final two frames to keep the Cavaliers at bay.

Concordia opened its scoring in the top of the first after sophomore shortstop Taylor Bussey belted a two-run shot to center field to give the Cavaliers an early 2-0 lead. Bussey continued to cause Corban problems, as the Washington native launched her second homer of the day in the top of the second frame to extend Concordia's advantage to five (5-0).

Corban (36-15) looked dead in the water until the bottom of the fourth, as the Navy and Gold plated three runs to get within six (9-3). Sophomore catcher Danielle Ackerman (Dallas, Ore.) opened the frame with Corban's first hit of the afternoon, as she singled to shallow left-center field. After senior third baseman Kyrianna Sorensen (Salem, Ore.) reached on an error, Costa ripped a three-run bomb to left field to tally the Warriors' first three runs of the afternoon. Both Eilders and Dorcas continued the rally with singles to put two runners on, but senior pitcher Lucy Baldovino registered a pair of strikeouts and a pop out to lift Concordia out of the jam.

In the bottom of the fifth, Corban seized all the momentum it needed, as the Warriors exploded for eight runs to take an 11-9 lead. Costa persisted to provide clutch hits, as she logged an RBI single with the bases loaded to drive home Owen and cut the deficit to five (9-4). Eilders followed with an infield single to score Ackerman, and then Dorcas drew a bases-loaded walk to continue the rally. With the bases still juiced, freshman pinch runner Maddy Melton (Salem, Ore.) scored on a Cavalier fielding error to slice Concordia's lead to just two (9-7).

On a 3-2 count with two outs, Owen launched a grand slam to left field to give Corban an 11-9 advantage and send the Warrior dugout into elation. It was Owen's second hit of the fifth inning, as she opened the frame with a single to shallow left field to light the fire for the Navy and Gold.

In the sixth, Horne replaced Boyd in the circle, and the righty held Concordia (40-15) to only one hit in the final two innings to propel the Navy and Gold to victory.

Corban advances in the CCC Tournament to take on No. 12 Oregon Tech. First pitch for tomorrow's contest is set for 11 a.m.