ASHLAND, Ore. – The Corban University softball team faced off with the NAIA's No. 1-ranked squad on Friday, kicking off a four-game series against Southern Oregon University with a pair of contests in Ashland. The Raiders—who have already earned the 2021 Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) Regular-Season title—defeated the Warriors by an 8-0 score in game one (five innings), and came from behind to earn a 13-5 victory (five innings) in game two.

The Warriors couldn't muster much offense in the first game of the day against the 2019 CCC Pitcher of the Year, Gabby Sandoval. The Raider ace—who is one of the top-five winningest pitchers in NAIA history—was exceptional in the circle, tossing five shutout innings, striking out eight, and allowing just three hits in her 23^rd win of the season.

Madison Wyllie (1-for-2), Megan Rybar (1-for-2), and Kaycee Arase (1-for-2) were the lone Warriors to collect hits in the defeat, while SOU's Lauren Quirke (2-for-3), Riley Donovan (2-for-3), Tayler Walker (2-for-3), Rylan Austin (2-for-3), and Avery Morehead-Hutsell (2-for-2) each compiled multi-hit performances for the hometown team.

In game two, Donovan singled to drive in Hannah Shimek to open the scoring in the bottom of the first.

Facing down another one of the conference's top arms in Quirke—who entered today's action just behind Sandoval with the CCC's second-best ERA at 1.56—the Corban offense showed resiliency in the latter half of Friday's twin bill. The Warrior bats came to life in the top of the third, plating four runs to capture the lead.

Makiah Johnson sparked the rally, slashing a two-run double to left to put Corban in front. A defensive miscue from Shimek led to two more runs in the stanza, as the Navy and Gold bid for an upset against the defending NAIA National Champions.

A run-scoring base hit from Quirke helped SOU get one of those runs back in the bottom of the frame, but Corban pushed the advantage back to three on an RBI single from Johnson in the top of the fourth.

Forcing Quirke out of the contest in the fourth, the Warriors limited the standout pitcher to her third-shortest outing of the 2021 season, while also matching her season high for runs allowed.

The bottom of the fourth proved costly for the Navy and Gold, however, as the Raider offense exploded for 10 runs. The Warriors were haunted by miscues in the stanza, as eight of the runs were unearned.

An RBI single to left from Austin in the bottom of the fifth invoked the run rule in the bottom of the fifth, as Southern completed the doubleheader sweep.

Johnson finished the contest a perfect 3-for-3 from the dish, driving in a trio of runs. Arase was also outstanding at the plate, collecting knocks in each of her two at-bats and scoring twice.

With the wins, the Raiders move to 43-3 on the season, having been beaten just once (25-1 CCC) in conference play.

Corban (25-19, 16-10 CCC) will be right back in action against the top-ranked Raiders tomorrow, concluding the 2021 regular-season schedule with another doubleheader in Ashland. First pitch for tomorrow's first game is slated for 11 a.m.