LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. – The No. 24-ranked Corban University softball team began its 2020 campaign on Friday at the TCS SoCal Classic, taking on a pair of top squads from the NAIA. The Navy and Gold dropped a hard-fought affair to No. 11-ranked Hope International University (9-8) in the season opener, but bounced back with a walk-off win (5-4) against (RV) Arizona Christian later in the afternoon.

Official stats from the games were not provided.

"We were eager to get on the field today," said head coach Rachel Martin, who notched her first-career win as Corban's head coach on Friday. "Our bats showed up with multiple contributors in our lineup, and our pitching staff kept opportunities alive for our offense. We showed fight today, which makes me so excited to see where we go from here!"

The Warriors struck first in the season opener, as Sam Woodley picked up right where she left off in 2019, blasting a two-run shot in her first at-bat of the spring.

After Corban's Sarah Probasco turned in two hitless innings from the circle, the Royals struck for four in the third. Hope International wreaked havoc on the basepaths during the frame, stealing four bases—two of which led to runs.

An RBI single from Makiah Johnson and a run-scoring double from Woodley helped the Navy and Gold even the score at four in the bottom half of the frame.

Unfortunately for the Navy and Gold, a Skyler Mao three-run homer helped the Royals regain the lead (7-4), forcing the Warriors to once again play from behind.

Corban showed its resiliency, bouncing back with runs in the fifth and sixth to pull within one heading into the final frame.

Justine De La Rosa provided the Royals with some valuable insurance in the seventh, driving in two with a single.

Trailing by three coming into their final half inning, an RBI fielder's choice and a double steal helped Corban put the tying run at second base with two outs.

Hope International's Olivia Candelas was able to work out of the jam, however, finishing off the complete game and capping off the 9-8 triumph.

Neither squad was able to push across a run in the first two frames of game two. It wasn't until the bottom of the third that the Navy and Gold drew first blood, scoring a trio of runs on a two-run double from Kaylee Buhrkuhl and an RBI single from Taylor Beasley.

The Firestorm would finally get to Warrior starter Ally Crakes in the fifth, as Paige Church lined a solo shot over the center field fence.

Church then struck again just one inning later, roping a two-run double to left to cap off a three-run sixth for Arizona Christian, giving her team a 4-3 advantage.

Unfazed, Corban mounted a thrilling rally in the seventh, as Johnson evened the score with a clutch RBI double.

Woodley then continued her impressive start to the season with a double of her own, bringing home Buhrkuhl to deliver the walk-off win.

The Navy and Gold (1-1) will face off with another set of challenging foes tomorrow, continuing their TCS Classic regiment with games against Embry-Riddle and No. 9-ranked Vanguard at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., respectively.