SALEM, Ore. – The Corban University Softball came out on the right side of an extra-inning affair today to kick off their four-game series against Warner Pacific University, as they earned a 3-2 walk-off win in the series opener before dropping game two 10-2 for a day one split in the program's final home weekend of the 2025 season.
"Proud of the girls coming off a late-inning game last week to finish game one with a win today," explained Corban head coach Jeff Covalt. "Game two is in the past and we are excited to celebrate our seniors and play hard early tomorrow morning."
Game 1 – Corban 3, Warner Pacific 2 (8 Innings)
It only took three batters through the series opener for the Warriors (4-35) to take their first lead of the day over the Knights (10-29, 7-15), as junior first baseman Peyton Foreman drove a ball deep over the right centerfield fence for a quick 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning.
The very next frame, junior centerfielder Regan McDaniel singled down the leftfield line to score junior third baseman Leata Senio from second base, putting the Navy and Gold ahead 2-0 in just two innings of play. Both starting pitchers buckled down to keep their opposing offenses scoreless over the next three innings before Warner Pacific broke through in the top of the fifth.
An RBI-ground out and RBI-double scored the first and tying runs for the Knights, which would eventually result in extra innings following scoreless sixth and seventh innings for both squads. However, in the bottom of the eighth inning, Corban found the extra-inning magic they needed to start Senior Week off on a high note.
After junior rightfielder Gianna Redman drew a leadoff walk and Foreman cashed in on another base hit up the middle, freshman designated player Regan Rasmussen laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the winning run 60 feet from home plate, with a backup run sitting at second base if necessary for junior relief pitcher Kate Banks to bring home. Banks fouled the first pitch off the netting and on the very next pitch, laid down an incredibly unexpected bunt from the cleanup spot in Coach Covalt's lineup card, allowing Redman to scurry home under the throw from the third baseman and walk-off on the Knights in style.
Warriors' freshman starting pitcher Miranda Scovil went 4.2 innings and allowed two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out a game-high six batters before giving way to Banks in the fifth. Unhittable this afternoon, Banks held the Knights scoreless over the final 3.1 frames with four strikeouts and just a single walk issued to pick up her second win on the season.
WPU starter Kili Makanani accepted her thirteenth loss on the year after allowing all three runs over 7.1 innings with five hits and five walks issued while striking out three Warriors.
Foreman represented one of two student-athletes in game one with multi-hit outings, as she finished 2-for-4 with the solo homer to represent her third longball of the season. Also picking up base hits for Corban was Scovil, McDaniel, and senior second baseman Alexis Figueroa.
The Knights were led offensively by leadoff shortstop Noe Barawis and her two hits and run scored, while Makanani, second baseman Hailey Ferguson, and third baseman Nikki O'Reilly also reached base safely with base knocks.
Game 2 – Warner Pacific 10, Corban 2
Game two was all Knights from the get-go as Warner Pac evened the series on the road, scoring a run in the opening frame and adding two more in the third to represent all the scoring they would need to clinch the doubleheader split. A rocky top of the seventh defensively for Corban resulted in seven more WPU runs, providing them with plenty of insurance as the Warriors scored two in the bottom of the seventh to avoid the shutout.
Junior southpaw Vanesa Quinones was responsible for the pitching loss after allowing the third three runs of the game to score over 2.1 innings and five hits, with senior reliever Sage Vanterpool and junior relief pitcher Amy Jankowski combining to allow seven more runs across the final 4.2 frames.
A complete game effort out of starting pitcher Brianna Munoz where she allowed two earned runs off seven hits, a walk, and struck out two Corban batters earned Warner Pac the day one split.
Rasmussen led the Navy and Gold at the plate with a 2-for-3 game, while Figueroa and junior leftfielder Josie Landis both recorded hits and scored the Warriors' two runs. McDaniel and junior shortstop Isabel Carattini each tallied an RBI apiece.
Barawis continued her success from the top of the lineup with four more hits, two runs scored, and an RBI to lead the Knights to victory, while Ferguson, Munoz, and Makanani added two more base hits each to help represent almost half of the squad's 13 hits in the nightcap contest.
Tomorrow morning, the Warriors and Knights will begin their final doubleheader at 11am and game two scheduled for 1pm, with the program's Senior Day ceremony taking place between contests. The team will honor seven senior student-athletes who will be playing in their final home matchups as a Warrior.
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