SALEM, Ore. – Through the on-again-off-again rain showers that peppered the Willamette Valley this afternoon, the Corban University Softball team was unable to find the timely hits they needed to keep within striking distance of the No. 10-ranked Southern Oregon University Raiders, who stormed out to 9-0 and 11-3 victories in the first two matchups of their four-game series.
Game 1 – No. 10 SOU 9, Corban 0 (6 Innings)
The first of two run-rule victories forced by the Raiders (26-9, 14-3) didn't come into effect until the sixth inning, as Corban sophomore starting pitcher Vanesa Quinones was able to limit SOU to just two runs through the first four innings to give the Warriors (1-33, 0-17) a fighting chance against the nationally ranked program.
However, Southern Oregon tacked on five runs in a busy fifth inning to set them up for a two-run sixth, while Raiders' starting pitcher Katie Machado was able to limit the Corban lineup to just two hits through game one to earn her 14th win of the season.
Quinones eventually exited in the top of the fifth inning with two outs after allowing seven runs on seven hits and three walks, while senior relief pitcher Madison Russell and junior reliever Emmaleena Wood combining for the final 1.1 innings to the sound of two runs, three hits, and two walks.
The two Corban hits belonged to graduate student first baseman Sydney Spickelmier and sophomore designated player Isabel Carattini, who each lined a single into the outfield late in the series' opener.
For the Raiders, rightfielder Hailey Seva dropped a 3-for-4 performance with an RBI and run scored, while designated player Kennedy Kila needed just one longball to collect a game-high three RBI with a pair of walks drawn as well.
Game 2 – No. 10 SOU 11, Corban 3 (5 Innings)
The nightcap of today's doubleheader between the Warriors and Raiders featured more offense by both teams but with the same result by day's end. After SOU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, the Warriors were able to tie the game back up in their offensive half of the second, scoring a pair of runs on an unsuccessful fielder's choice and a fielding error that extended the inning.
The very next inning, the Raiders piled on five runs to all but escape the upset potential in game two, as Corban was able to add another run in the third but allowed four more to SOU over the fourth and fifth to surrender the five inning run-rule result.
Navy and Gold sophomore starting pitcher Kate Banks was tagged with the loss after allowing seven runs on six hits, three walks, and a pair of strikeouts, while Russell and Quinones entered to see four more runs off five hits, with two walks distributed apiece.
Southern Oregon starter Mayze Menefee picked up the win with a three-run, four-hit, two-walk, and three-strikeout performance under her belt, with only two of the runs coming across as earned runs under her command.
Spickelmier's third multi-hit game of the season was the highlight of the Corban offense, as she collected an RBI to join junior second baseman Alexis Figueroa with an RBI apiece. Senior rightfielder Samantha Martinez and redshirt junior Cambria Kerze secured the last two base hits for the Warriors.
Seva kept her bat hot over the doubleheader break to earn another three hits with three RBI and two runs scored along the way. Third baseman Hannah Clavelle blasted a solo-bomb in the first inning en route to 3-for-3 at the plate with three-RBI and two runs scored in game two.
The Navy and Gold hitters struck out just five times all day long, battling throughout their at-bats to force the SOU starters into making key pitches, while the Raiders' infielders and outfielders were stealing base hits away from the Warriors with their stellar defense on multiple occasions.
The Warriors and Raiders will complete their four-game series tomorrow morning with an early 9am start time in hopes of avoiding the anticipated rain in the Willamette Valley forecast.
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