FOREST GROVE, Ore. – The Corban University softball team opened the 2017 season with a bang on Saturday, scoring 18 total runs en route to registering a pair of wins against Pacific University (Ore.). After winning the season-opener, 9-1, the Warriors then powered their way to a 9-5 victory in game two, giving first-year head coach Abigail Farler her first two victories of her Warrior coaching career.
"I'm so proud of how our girls came out ready to play today," said Farler. "They were aggressive and showed great fight consistently throughout both games today. We saw a lot of players step up in different ways which was very encouraging."
In the opener, Iris Rodriguez started 2017 right where she left off in 2016, ripping an RBI double to center field, scoring teammate Maddy Melton to give the Warriors the early 1-0 advantage. While Pacific would tie things up in the bottom of the first, Corban pounced on some Boxer miscues in the second frame and scored seven runs en route to taking a commanding 8-1 lead.
The Navy and Gold tacked on one more in the fourth, and that was all the Warriors needed in the eight-run five-inning win. Allie Mendez was very efficient in her first outing of the year, going four innings while allowing just two hits and one unearned run in the victory.
At the dish, both Taylor Eilders and Melton each finished the contest with a pair of hits, while Melton scored two runs.
In game two, Rodriguez once again put the Warriors in front in the first inning with an RBI base knock, this time scoring Eilders. Pacific would respond and take a 2-1 lead in the second, but immediately, Corban had the answer.
With the count full, Warrior newcomer Jessie Isham stepped up to the dish and blasted a long home run over the center field fence, tying the game at 2-2.
The game would go back and forth over the next couple of innings, with both sides taking leads, but then in the sixth inning, Isham came up to the plate in another big spot with a pair of runners on base, and she launched a rocket over the left-center field wall, pushing Corban's advantage to 8-4. The Warriors would go on to secure a 9-5 triumph, and Isham finished the game with a 2-for-4 showing at the plate with two home runs, four RBI, and three runs scored.
Also tallying two hits were Melton and Rodriguez, while reaching base all four times she came to the plate in game two was the speedster Ashleigh Lynch with four hits and one run scored.
Kaylee Graney-Patterson earned the win in the circle for Corban, tossing three innings of relief while allowing just two unearned runs and two hits. Sabrina Boyd started the game for Corban, throwing four innings while allowing three runs, only two of which were earned.
Corban (2-0) looks to build on Saturday's performance on Sunday when it travels across town to take on Willamette University. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 12 p.m.
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