SALEM, Ore. – While playing on Warrior Field for just the second time during the 2016 campaign, the Corban University softball team used solid pitching and big hitting en route to a pair of 7-3 wins over the University of British Columbia on Friday. The two wins gave Corban the season split with the Thunderbirds.
Click 'Play Button' on photo above for video highlights from the doubleheader sweep.
In game one, the Warriors jumped on top right away via an RBI single from junior shortstop Iris Rodriguez (Warden, Wash.), and then junior first baseman Allie Mendez (Stockton, Calif.) laced an RBI double to center field, scoring another Warrior runner to double the advantage.
Warrior junior center fielder Taylor Eilders (Cameron Park, Calif.) blasted a bases-clearing double in the third with the bases loaded, extending Corban's advantage to 5-0, and from that point forward, Corban finished off the Thunderbirds despite a late rally from UBC.
Eilders finished the contest 4-for-4 with three RBI for the Warriors, while Rodriguez and Mendez both finished with a pair of hits for the Navy and Gold.
For UBC, Shaelyn Ogilvie, Shayla Kaplen, and Hillary Strelau all recorded a pair of hits in the defeat.
Earning the win for the Warriors was senior pitcher Jessica Holsinger (Eagle, Idaho), as she went five innings while surrendering just two runs on five hits, striking out four along the way.
Game two saw UBC take the early lead, as Lindsay Ogilvie recorded an RBI single through the right side.
Corban responded immediately, however, as sophomore Raina Reece (Salem, Ore.) ripped an RBI single through the left side to tie the ballgame at 1-1. Corban then went up 4-1 in the third via a big RBI double from junior third baseman Raimee Sluder (Longview, Wash.), giving Corban the advantage.
The game stayed at 4-1 until the sixth frame when Reece stepped back into the box for the Warriors and launched a long three-run home run over the left-field fence, bringing the Warrior faithful to their feet as Corban led 7-1.
UBC fought back with two unearned runs in the seventh, but that would be all they would get en route to the second 7-3 triumph of the day for the Warriors.
Mendez earned the win pitching for Corban, throwing all seven innings while allowing three unearned runs. She also was hot at the plate, going 3-for-4. In addition, Reece finished 2-for-2 with four RBI, while sophomore left fielder Maddy Melton (Salem, Ore.) went 3-for-4 at the dish with three runs scored.
Eilders and Mendez talked about the wins after the games:
"Those were a couple of important wins for us in terms of playoff positioning," said Corban head coach Nathan Ohta. "We knew coming in that we needed to get both games today and the ladies did a nice job of coming out ready to go and really controlled the momentum in both games from start to finish."
For UBC (9-18, 7-11 CCC), Olivia Priestlay totaled a team-best two hits in the defeat.
Corban (27-14, 11-7 CCC) returns to the diamond tomorrow when it hosts Northwest University at Warrior Field. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 11 a.m.
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