HELENA, Mont. – The Corban University Softball team dropped a pair of hard-fought contests this afternoon against the Carroll College Fighting Saints, as the Warriors fought off a ten-run deficit in game one to pull within three runs after going down to their final out, while they led for a majority of game two before the Saints found the timely hits they needed to earn the walk-off win and complete the four-game sweep.
"The girls competed well, and it was a hard weekend with elements and freezing cold temperatures, but we finished the weekend competing to the final out which was great to see," Corban head coach Jeff Covalt stated.
Game 1 – Carroll 16, Corban 8 (6 Innings)
After struggling to find their offense in the first doubleheader in Helena, Montana, the Warriors (1-24, 1-11) went scratch with the Saints (11-12, 7-5) through two innings of one run apiece before the Carroll offense rattled off a ten-run bottom of the third to force Corban into a must-score scenario to keep the contest from ending in five frames.
Then in the top of the fifth inning with one out and nobody on base, eight straight Warriors reached base and the Navy and Gold batted around to score seven runs in the inning and cut their deficit to just three runs. Leading the hit parade for Corban in the frame was senior rightfielder Alicia Chavez, who singled for the first hit of the inning and doubled to score a run as to represent the final base hit of the same inning.
However, a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth followed by a three-run sixth, which included the run-rule walk-off on a fielding error by Corban, provided the Saints with the six-inning victory to clinch at least a sweep of the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) contests in western Montana.
Warriors' junior starting pitcher Vanesa Quinones was chased from the contest in the massive third inning for Carroll, as she was charged with five runs off six hits, including a pair of walks issued. Senior relief pitcher Sage Vanterpool and junior reliever Kate Banks were responsible for the remaining runs scored in the third inning, while true freshman relief pitcher Regan Rasmussen allowed five runs in 2.1 frames with four walks issued and the Warriors' only defensive strikeout of the game.
Saints' starter Kennedy Venner picked up her seventh win of the year by going 4.1 innings and allowing five runs off four hits to Corban, while reliever Abbie Amend saw another three runs on three hits scored under her command as the Saints worked out of the seven-run inning for the Warriors' offense. Relief pitcher Mckinley Ermshar tossed the final inning and allowed two hits with a punchout.
A pair of three-hit outings for Chavez and junior first baseman Peyton Foreman powered the Navy and Gold to eight runs in six frames played through the third contest of the four-game set, with the duo each tallying two RBI along the way. Rasmussen was 2-for-2 at the plate after coming into pitch late in the ballgame, while junior shortstop Leata Senio tacked on another hit for the Warriors as well.
Six different Saints collected on multi-hit performances in the doubleheader opener for Carroll, including designated player Carlee Smith and her 2-for-2, four RBI, and one run scored outing. Shortstop Morgan Sunchild and first baseman Sammie Labrum both secured three base hits, three RBI, and a run scored.
Game 2 – Carroll 3, Corban 2
Game four of the weekend series was the complete opposite of today's opener for both squads, as just five runs were scored in total, and the Warriors held the advantage for a majority of the non-conference contest. After Rasmussen scored freshman designated player Mckenna Hanson via a sacrifice fly in the second, Foreman came through in the clutch again with an RBI double to left field in the fourth, allowing junior second baseman Pressley Staudenmaier to score and provide Corban with a 2-0 lead.
Slowly but surely the Saints chipped away from that moment on, scoring their first run on an RBI groundout in the fourth and tied the game up at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth. Then with the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, second baseman Kenna Thomas slashed a single to centerfield that ended the contest at 3-2 in walk-off fashion for Carroll.
An outstanding performance in the circle for true freshman Miranda Scovil allowed Corban with an opportunity late in the series finale to edge out their second win of the year, but the offense couldn't find the timely hits they needed to close out the win. Scovil accepted the loss after allowing just three runs on three hits and six walks while striking out a game-high six Carroll batters.
The Saints earned the first win of the year for starting pitcher Janey Adair who went the distance in a complete game outing with two runs allowed on four hits, walking a pair and striking out three Warriors.
Hits came at a premium for both squads in game two today, with Scovil helping herself out in the batter's box with two of Corban's four team hits secured by the true freshman. Foreman and Banks were responsible for the other two base hits for the Navy and Gold, who out-hit the Saints in the final game played in Helena this weekend.
Thomas was the only consistent threat at the plate for Carroll to close out the series, as she finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored an responsible for the third via an RBI. Sunchild recorded the third Saints' hit of the game.
Corban softball will return to Warrior Field for the first time in nearly a month as they're scheduled to host No. 2-ranked Oregon Tech (17-3, 7-2) beginning on Friday afternoon for a 2/4pm doubleheader. Prior to their next conference series, the Navy and Gold will host NCAA Pacific University's JV softball team on Tuesday, March 25th for a scrimmage doubleheader.
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