SALEM, Ore. – The Corban University Softball team (5-13, 4-5) managed to earn their third-consecutive win this afternoon at Warrior Field, defeating Warner Pacific University (0-9, 0-7) in game one 4-2, before their second contest was suspended in the top of the fifth inning due to darkness at the field.
"Girls clinched a solid win in game one against WPU, we've got to keep bringing everything we've got, one pitch at a time," Corban Head Coach Danyelle Huber shared earlier today.
Game 1 – Corban 4, WPU 2
The Knights kicked off the scoring with an RBI single in the top of the second inning, as right fielder Christina Barrett knocked in first baseman Emma Foster with a hit to left fielder for their first lead of the 2023 season.
It didn't take long for Corban to respond, as sophomore centerfielder Jody Fisher pulled off the sneaky maneuvering of stealing home plate, a task you hardly see in collegiate softball. Once the catcher released the ball when throwing back to starting pitcher Abby Carlson, Fischer took off from her leadoff of third, allowing her to score with ease to tie this game at 1-all.
Later the same inning, the Warriors took the lead on a deep double to right field off the bat of junior first baseman Paia'ala Wilcox-Molina, allowing junior second baseman Samantha Martinez to jet all the way around the basepaths from first base to score. Wilcox-Molina scored the very next at bat, as a wild pitch allowed her to advance to third, and a single from freshman catcher Kailey Betz scored her to net three runs in the inning and a 3-1 advantage.
Warner Pac nabbed another run in the top of the fourth, as Barrett roped a double into right centerfield to score her second RBI of the day, cutting their deficit in half at 3-2, Warriors.
The Navy and Gold decided to put one more run on the scoreboard before they earned their third-consecutive victory, as graduate student Madison Wyllie belted her first home run of the season down the left field line to give Corban their second two-run lead of the day.
Warriors' freshman starting pitcher Vanessa Hulett-Quinones was able to pitch around a couple of baserunners to end the last two innings of offense for the Knights, as she earned her third win of the season on the cusp of a complete 7.0 innings pitched. She ended her afternoon with two runs allowed off four hits, piling up six strikeouts in the process to earn the victory.
Carlson took the loss after allowing three runs off five hits in 3.0 innings, striking out four batters and walking just one. Shortstop Carrigan Foster turned to the mound in the fourth inning to close out game one for WPU, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out a game-high seven batters through 3.0 innings of work.
Betz and Wyllie led the Corban offense with two hits apiece, each tallying an RBI in the process. Wilcox-Molina extended her hitting streak on her RBI double, raising her batting average to .341 on the season.
Barrett racked up every RBI for Warner Pacific at the plate, going a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate as well. Foster and catcher Jessie Ramirez were the only other Knights with hits in the contest, tallying one apiece.
Game 2 – WPU 7, Corban 2 – SUSPENDED IN TOP OF 5TH INNING
With time becoming an issue for the two squads, they turned around and started game two within 15 minutes of game one ending, but to no avail as they only got 4.0 full innings in before the game was called due to darkness.
Prior to the game being suspended, the Knights took out their frustration on four different pitchers for Corban, amassing seven runs through four innings to hold a 7-2 lead entering the fifth inning, crushing two home runs, and stringing along some small ball hits to take the massive five-run lead over the Warriors with few at-bats remaining.
Corban scored their first run on yet another stolen base of home, this time by Betz in a pickoff situation that allowed her just enough time to sprint home from third base. The second was off the bat of Wyllie, as the WPU leftfielder misjudged the flyball hit her direction, allowing the ball to drop and give sophomore pinch runner Jaden South an opportunity to jot home from third base.
The Warriors will pick up game two in the top of the fifth with the bases loaded and no outs, tomorrow at 11am PST before completing their four-game series shortly after with games three and four.
Follow Corban Athletics:
Facebook l Twitter l Instagram l Snapchat l YouTube l Email
Download our App: iOS (iPhone/iPad) l Android
