SALEM, Ore. – In a battle of two NAIA heavyweights, the No. 10-ranked Corban University softball team's doubleheader duel against No. 3 Southern Oregon University provided plenty of excitement on Friday afternoon. The Raiders would come away with two wins to open the crucial Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) series, walking away with 9-4 and 5-4 (nine innings) victories.

"Today's losses were both very tough," said head coach Abigail Farler. "I felt like we made too many mistakes, mentally and physically, to win either ball game. I was proud of our offensive production and our ability to put the ball in play hard, but our defense and pitching did not perform well enough to win either game."

It was the big inning that propelled Southern Oregon to the victory in game one, with the Raiders producing four-run frames in both the third and sixth inning en route to nine total runs. Lauren Quirke landed the heaviest blow in the third-inning rally, launching a two-run blast to the opposite field for her third home run of the season.

Quirke served as part of a Raider top-of-the-order that drove in seven of the team's nine runs. Leadoff hitter Allie Stines drove in three runs as part of an impressive day at the plate (2-for-4, two runs, three RBIs) in the series opener. Hannah Shimek, the Raider two-hitter, made the most of her one hit in the contest, lacing a two-RBI double down the left field line as part of Southern Oregon's sixth-inning four-spot.

Despite finishing on the losing end of the 9-4 outcome, all but two members of Corban's starting lineup finished with a hit in the contest. Jessie Isham was the only Warrior to finish with multiple knocks, going 2-for-3 and scoring half of the Navy and Gold's four runs.

Kaylee Buhrkuhl, Sam Woodley, and Mahina Chong all registered run-scoring singles in the defeat.

Game two was a thriller between the two top-10 squads. The action was fast and furious from the get-go, as the game kicked off with SOU's Stines curling a booming solo blast inside the right field foul pole, accounting for one of two first-inning runs for the Raiders.

Corban responded with a trio of runs in the third, with Makiah Johnson driving in a pair with a two-bagger to open the Warrior scoring, and Buhrkuhl immediately bringing her home with a single.

After Corban tacked on another in the fourth courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Chong, the Raiders bounced back with two of their own in the next half-inning to knot the score up at four. The game would remain deadlocked at four until the ninth.

The Warriors would have a chance to finish it in their half of the seventh, but Southern Oregon ace Gabby Sandoval—who entered in relief after starting in the circle in game one—was able to escape trouble and strand the winning run at third base to force extra innings.

The Raiders had their own opportunity in the top of the eighth. With the go-ahead run at second base with two outs, Southern Oregon shortstop Paige Leeper scalded a sinking line drive into right field that seemed all-but-destined to find the outfield grass. Corban right fielder Madison Wyllie had a beat on it from the start, however, charging in to make an incredible diving catch to preserve to stalemate.

Southern Oregon would end up pushing across a run in the ninth, taking advantage of Warrior miscues to claim a 5-4 lead. From there, Sandoval swiftly navigated around the heart of the Corban lineup in the latter half of the frame, sealing the game-two win and doubleheader sweep for the Raiders. 

With each game of the series carrying significant playoff implications with it, the two triumphs prove especially valuable to Southern Oregon, and particularly painful for the Navy and Gold.

"We will learn from our experiences today, and make adjustments tomorrow," Farler added.

The Warriors (21-7, 11-3 CCC) and Raiders (27-4, 13-1 CCC) will go right back at it tomorrow morning, beginning with a CCC matchup at 11 a.m., and concluding with a non-conference contest immediately afterward.