SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – The Corban University softball team headed south down the interstate to challenge the Bushnell University Beacons in a single game mid-week matchup. Sam Silver was a standout in the circle for the Beacons, and a three-run homer from Anabel Mendez put the game out of reach for the Warriors.

The Beacons made quick work of the Warriors in the top of the first, as Beacon starter Silver would have had a one, two, three inning, but Madison Wyllie reached first on a fielding error by the Beacon first-baseman. The hometown squad earned a walk and a single in the bottom of the first frame, but were shut down by the Warrior defense led by Holly Gonzales in the circle.  

Silver sat down the Warriors quickly in the second stanza, and Bushnell used that momentum to generate a leadoff walk which was followed by back-to-back singles through the right side, another single to left field from Madison Steelman, and a three-run homerun by Mendez. The Beacons scored six runs on four hits in the bottom half of the second inning.

In the bottom of the third, head coach Danyelle Huber brought in Alise Olson to pitch for the Navy and Gold. She got three quick outs to give Corban another chance to get on the scoreboard.

Paia'ala Wilcox-Molina ruined Silver's no hitter in the top of the fifth with a Texas-leaguer up the middle. Anastasia Iosia answered with a single up the middle advancing pinch-runner California Johnson to second. A grounder to the pitcher allowed Morgan Gleeson to reach first, but put Johnson out at third. Cambria Kerze tallied her third hit of the season with a beauty in the right-center gap, scoring Iosia. Kerze stole second and Gleeson scored on a receiving error by the Beacon shortstop making the score, 6-2 Beacons.

The Beacons tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth in an effort to create a comfortable lead going into the seventh frame.  

A three-bagger from Meri McElligot started what the Warriors hoped to be a big comeback. A sacrifice fly from Wilcox-Molina scored McElligot and that was it for Corban. Bushnell took the game, 7-3.

Alise Olson had another dominate showing for Corban. The sophomore pitched four complete, earning two strikeouts and allowing only two hits and one earned run.

Wilcox-Molina and Kerze each recorded an RBI, and were two of five Warriors to record a hit in the contest. McElligot recorded Corban's only extra-base hit with her triple in the top of the seventh.

The Warriors (8-13, 3-4 CCC) will be back in action this coming weekend in Portland at Erv Lind Stadium, where they will battle the Warner Pacific Knights (1-11, 0-6 CCC) in a four-game series beginning Friday at 1 p.m.