SALEM, Ore. – In what many expected to be a rain-filled afternoon of Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) softball, the Pacific Northwest weather held up and actually allowed some spring sunshine to grace those present at Warrior Field today after a slight delay to start the morning, as the Corban University Softball team was on the wrong side of 7-0 and 7-5 losses to the Carroll College Saints to conclude their four-game series.
"With all that the team has faced this season, they had some great hits in the second game that really turned it into a duel," Warriors' head coach Danyelle Huber shared today. "They have truly shown resilience and perseverance. Good things are coming their way when they continue to work hard, play smart, and come together as a group."
Game 1 - Carroll 7, Corban 0
It was all Saints (11-12-1, 6-5) in the day two opener between the two CCC opponents, as Carroll spread seven runs around five different innings and held the Warriors (1-27, 0-12) to just three hits in the entire contest, resulting in the conference sweep prior to the non-conference game being played out.
Corban's sophomore starting pitcher Vanesa Quinones relinquished all seven runs to the Saints, four of which came across as earned thanks to 12 hits and three walks while striking out twice. Sophomore relief pitcher Kate Banks entered in the seventh inning to pitch a clean sheet after walking one and holding Carroll from scoring any more runs.
Starter Kennedy Venner was electric once again for the Saints in her second start of the weekend, allowing just three hits and no free passes while striking out eight Warriors along the way in a scoreless outing.
The Warriors saw single-hit games from leadoff hitter and senior leftfielder Samantha Martinez, graduate student first baseman Sydney Spickelmier, and junior rightfielder Jaden South to pace the Corban offense.
The second through fourth hitters in Carroll's lineup were unstoppable in game one today, going a combined 7-for-11 with three of the team's RBI. Designated player Sammie Labrum had three hits and two runs scored, while third baseman Morgan Sunchild smashed a pair of hits and two RBI as well.
Game 2 - Carroll 7, Corban 5
The Navy and Gold grabbed their first lead of the series in the bottom of the second inning as the two programs played out the fourth and final game of the series in non-conference action, as a passed ball allowed South to score unearned before Martinez roped a double down the left field line to score freshman second baseman Alyssa Knox and senior first baseman Sage Vanterpool to provide the Warriors with a 3-0 lead.
Carroll earned a run back in the very next inning with some small ball thanks to a one-run single up the middle by second baseman Kenna Thomas. In the bottom of the same frame, Spickelmier launched her first home run as a Warrior off the scoreboard in centerfield to stretch the lead back to three runs at 4-1 with just over half of the game yet to be played.
However, the Saints quickly eradicated their three-run deficit with a pair of two-run longballs by Sunchild and catcher Carlee Smith, adding another run in the top of the fifth to hold a 6-4 lead entering the bottom of the fifth.
Spickelmier added another run to the Warriors' offensive totals with an RBI groundout that scored junior centerfielder Jody Fischer in the fifth, cutting the Carroll advantage back to a single run entering the final two innings of play.
After the Saints scored one final run in the top of the seventh, despite bringing the tying run to the plate in a game-tying situation, Spickelmier grounded into a fielder's choice to complete the four-game set and send Corban back to the drawing board as they continue the hunt for their first conference win and eventually snap their current losing streak.
Banks earned the start in game four after a scoreless appearance in game three and even though she made quick work of Carroll in her first three innings, a four-run fourth frame of play resulted in the loss for the Lewiston, Idaho native, as she allowed six runs on five hits, five walks, with three strikeouts along the way. Senior reliever Alise Olson completed the last 2.1 innings of work to the tune of one run, two hits, and a single strikeout.
Saints' game four starter Abbie Amend improved to 3-5 on the year with a complete game effort today, as she stuck out a game-high nine Corban hitters with five walks, four hits, and five runs tolerated under her watch.
The first homer of the season by Spickelmier saw her hold two of the Warriors' four hits in the series finale, as she finished the day with a 2-for-4 outing, two RBI, and a run scored. Martinez and Fischer earned the other two Corban hits from the top of the lineup, with Martinez adding two RBI to her season totals.
Multi-hit games from third baseman Alyssa Lybbert and first baseman Kaitlynn Ayers allowed the Saints to leave the state capital with a four-game sweep of Corban, with Sunchild, Ayers, and Smith all contributing two RBI apiece from the fifth, sixth, and seventh spots of the Carroll lineup.
The week of spring break will hold a road CCC series for the Warriors in the Klamath Basin, as No. 5-ranked Oregon Tech will host the first of two doubleheaders next Thursday, March 28th at 2pm.
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