SALEM, Ore. – The Corban University Softball team hung tight with the No. 2-ranked Lady Owls of Oregon Tech through 12 of the 14 innings played today at Warrior Field, as they kept within striking distance through a majority of their doubleheader losses that OIT was able to clinch 6-0 and 17-5 in a pair of full seven-inning contests.

"I'm proud of how the team competed today, as we are working hard to be better every week," shared Warriors' head coach Jeff Covalt earlier today. "Although we came up short today, I was happy to see the effort and passion in every inning."

Game 1 – No. 2 OIT 6, Corban 0

The Lady Owls (22-4, 10-3) did all their offensive damage in the first two innings against the Warriors (1-26, 1-13) in the series opener this afternoon, scoring all six runs in the first and second frames off Corban true freshman starting pitcher Miranda Scovil. A double down the leftfield line off the bat of OIT first baseman Puakea Milbourne in the first provided the visiting team with the only runs they needed to clinch the game one victory, scoring four more in the second before Scovil shut the No. 2-ranked team in the NAIA out for the remaining five innings played.

Despite picking up the losing decision, Scovil held the Lady Owls' high octane offense to just four earned runs off six hits in a complete game effort, striking out five OIT batters along the way with three walks and three hit batsmen.

All-American starting pitcher Kacie Schmidt pitched another shutout victory on her season resume yet allowed a pair of hits and a hit by pitch in her complete game outing for Tech, striking out eight Warriors in the process.

Corban senior second baseman Alexis Figueroa and Scovil were the benefactors of the two hits allowed by Schmidt in game one, with Scovil taking Schmidt to the fence on a one-out double in the bottom of the fifth.

Milbourne was the only Owl in the series opener with multiple hits at the plate, as she finished 2-for-4 with four RBI against the Navy and Gold. Shortstop Gina Allen picked up a base hit as well and scored a third of OIT's runs.

Game 2 – No. 2 OIT 17, Corban 5

A four-run top of the first for Oregon Tech where they tallied just a single hit was the result of six free bases dealt out of Corban pitching, where a sacrifice fly and an RBI single was followed up by a bases loaded walk and hit by pitch to open another matchup on top before the Warriors had even stepped to the plate.

However, the Corban offense loaded the bases in their first opportunity and despite not scoring that inning, the Navy and Gold struck in the bottom of the second when Figueroa singled down the right field line, allowing junior shortstop Isabel Carattini and sophomore centerfielder Breanna Crosby to score without a throw and cut their deficit in half at 4-2.

After a scoreless third, Milbourne continued to rake at the plate with the first home run of the day for either team via her two-run shot in the fourth, which junior first baseman Peyton Foreman was able to salvage a run for in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI groundout. Corban would go on to leave two more runners in scoring position in the fourth as well, leaving eight runners on base in the contest.

The Navy and Gold bullpen finally caved in to the OIT offense in the sixth and seventh frames, as the Lady Owls tallied 11 runs in two innings to nearly clinch a run-rule victory. Nevertheless, the final two runs of the ballgame were scored by Warriors' true freshman reliever Regan Rasmussen, as the Salem native took Tech relief pitcher Jenna Gorden deep to centerfield for the first home run of her young collegiate career.

Corban junior starting pitcher Kate Banks lasted the first inning through four walks and two hit batters to allow four earned runs on a single hit, giving way to senior reliever Sage Vanterpool, Scovil, junior reliever Amy Jankowski, and Rasmussen over the final 6.0 innings. Despite walking five batters, Vanterpool had the most effective outing with just the two-run homer to Milbourne against her ERA.

OIT starter Carli Moore was unable to go the 5.0 innings necessary to earn the winning decision, as Schmidt entered in two-on, no-out jam to escape with just one run on Moore's line and no further damage to eventual earn the win going 3.0 more frames.

Foreman and Carattini each secured a pair of hits for Corban in an eight-hit contest, with Carattini scoring two of the Warriors' five runs. Figueroa netted a team-high two RBI, which Rasmussen tied in the seventh via her two-run bomb.

Eight of the nine starters in OIT's game two lineup had at least a single base hit, led by centerfielder Malia Mick and her 2-for-4, three-RBI, and three-run performance. Catcher Jayce Seavert added two hits, two runs, and two RBI with a pair of walks drawn.

Corban and Oregon Tech will return to Warrior Field tomorrow morning for games three and four of their regular season series, looking to squeeze the contests in at 11am and 1pm before the Pacific Northwest spring showers hit the Salem area.

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