SALEM, Ore. – The Corban University softball team celebrated Senior Day on Saturday with a doubleheader sweep of the University of Great Falls, winning game one, 6-4, and then game two, 6-1. The sweep gives Corban a 34-17 record to finish the 2016 regular season, and now the Warriors will prepare for the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) Tournament set to take place in two weeks.

Click 'Play Button' on photo above for video highlights of Corban's two home runs from the wins on Senior Day.

"Our four seniors played really well today," said Corban head coach Nathan Ohta, "and it was great to be able to get these two wins on Senior Day! Emily, Mic, Dani, and Jess are quality individuals that seek to represent Christ in all they do, and I have a lot of respect for them and the way they live out their faith. They have been great contributors to our softball program as well and we will miss not having them here next year."

In game one, the Argos jumped on top in the first inning with a pair of runs on RBI base knocks from Hali Gruntowicz and Keeley Van Blaricom.

The Warriors responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first, however, as junior first baseman Allie Mendez (Stockton, Calif.) got ahold of a pitch and hit a line-drive home run over the center field wall, giving Corban the 3-2 advantage.

The Warriors tallied another run in the second thanks to an RBI double from freshman second baseman McKenzie Giancola (Clackamas, Ore.) to make it a 4-2 ballgame.

Great Falls pulled even at 4-4 in the fifth frame when Mindy Larson hit a home run to left-center, but Corban responded once again and came up clutch in the sixth inning. Junior center fielder Taylor Eilders (Cameron Park, Calif.) hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score senior McCayla Hoffman (Bothell, Wash.), and then Warrior sophomore Maddy Melton (Salem, Ore.) looped an RBI single to right field, giving Corban a two-run lead heading into the seventh.

Closing the door on the Argos was Warrior senior pitcher Danielle Horne (Vacaville, Calif.), as she faced three batters, sitting them down 1-2-3 en route to earning her first save of the 2016 campaign. She came on in relief for fellow senior pitcher Emily Buhrkuhl (Stockton, Calif.) who went six innings while scattering seven hits and allowing four runs in her second win of the season.

Melton finished with a game-high three hits for the Warriors, while Larson led the way in the defeat for the Argos with two hits and two RBI.

In game two, UGF struggled to find the strike zone early, and Corban took advantage by scoring four runs in the first inning. The big and only hit of the frame came when freshman outfielder Grace Utto-Galarneau (Lacey, Wash.) ripped a sizzling two-RBI double to left field to make it 4-0.

Warrior junior third baseman Raimee Sluder (Longview, Wash.) smashed a ball well over the left-field wall in the third inning to put Corban up 5-0, and Hoffman added a sacrifice fly in the sixth to push the lead to 6-0.

Great Falls (22-16, 12-12) pulled one run back in the seventh, but that was all the Argos would get in Corban's 6-1 triumph.

For the contest, UGF actually outhit Corban, 6-4, but the Warriors big first inning was too much for the Argos to overcome.

Earning her 17th win of the year for Corban was senior pitcher Jessica Holsinger (Eagle, Idaho), as she went six strong innings while allowing four hits and no runs and striking out eight UGF batters en route to the victory.

"With two weeks until the CCC Tournament, we will use the next few days to finish out the semester strong academically, rest a bit, and let some injuries heal and then work hard to get ready for our next opponent," said Ohta.

After the games, the four seniors talked about the sweep and the season in a post-game interview:

Corban (34-17, 18-10 CCC) awaits to see whether it will be playing the CCC Tournament at Oregon Tech or Southern Oregon University. The complete tournament field will be announced following the conclusion of the weekend when all games are finished.
 

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