EUGENE, Ore. – After starting the 2026 regular season on a 14-game losing skid, the Corban University Softball program claimed their first wins of the year via an impressive Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) doubleheader sweep on the road against their I-5 rivals from Bushnell University, completing a seventh-inning comeback bid in game one to claim a 14-11 victory in the opener before a stellar starting effort combined with staying hot at the plate secured an 8-1 win in the nightcap. In just one doubleheader sweep, the Warriors move from the bottom of the CCC standings to sixth place overall heading into the Saturday rematches with the Beacs back at Rich Schwab Field.
"Finally, a day where everything that could go right, did go right," began a relieved Warriors' head coach Jeff Covalt. "We had outstanding base running that allowed us to score more runs, great discipline and hitting at the plate, and the cleanest defense of the season by far. Kate pitched outstandingly going seven strong innings to cap off too many great things to feasibly count. We're excited to keep the ball rolling tomorrow."
Game 1 | Corban 14, Bushnell 11
A whirlwind of a series opener more than likely isn't exactly how Covalt would have drawn up his first win of the season but will take the result nonetheless after the Warriors (2-14, 2-6) blew a seven-run lead to the Beacons (3-17, 1-7) before battling back in the top of the seventh. The Dubs opened the contest striking first thanks to a 4-0 first inning at the plate, yet Bushnell scored three of their own in the bottom of the second to pull within a run.
Six-straight runs in the top of the third opened up a massive 10-3 advantage for the Navy and Gold, but the Beacons chipped away at the Corban lead slowly but surely over the next three innings, eventually claiming their first lead of the contest in the bottom of sixth on an infield single.
However, rather than simply accepting defeat, the Warriors' offense roared back to life in the top of the seventh, as the first four Corban hitters reached base in what would eventually represent a four-run frame, with freshman catcher Shelby Hillyer singling home the tying run and freshman rightfielder Irene VanDyke doubling to left field to bring home the go-ahead runs. Another true freshman in centerfielder Brookelynn Morley added an insurance run when she singled up the middle with two outs to score VanDyke.
The Warriors' winning pitcher in game one, senior Amy Jankowski, closed out a remarkable relief outing by allowing just two runners to reach in the bottom of the seventh, clinching the victory on a flyout to right field for her first win in the circle since 2024. Jankowski tossed 2.2 innings and allowed just one run off five hits and a strikeout to claim the win. Sophomore starting pitcher Miranda Scovil struck out four batters across 4.0 frames in the no-decision.
A rough first inning for Beacons' starting pitcher Sara Martin resulted in a quick hook for the righthander despite eventually taking no loss against her record, with reliever Violet Richardson instead taking the losing decision after allowing ten runs off 12 hits and zero punchouts. On the day, Warrior batters struck out just three times compared to ten for Bushnell.
Every single student-athlete in the Corban starting lineup secured at least one hit in the series opener, led by senior shortstop Isabel Carattini who was 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and a game-high three runs scored. Hillyer, VanDyke, and senior third baseman Leata Senio all tallied two RBI apiece, while Hillyer and sophomore first baseman Mckenna Hanson each scored a pair of runs. Also earning multi-hit outings was Morley, senior leftfielder Josie Landis, and freshman second baseman Kaiya Peterson.
While the Beacs did manage to outhit the Warriors, their offense amounted to three fewer runs and one fewer multi-hit performances, with Richardson's struggle in the circle being made up for via her perfect 4-for-4 outing at the plate with three RBI and two runs scored. First baseman Riley Peeler, rightfielder Haleigh Wambolt, and catcher Gracie Hamilton all tallied three hits apiece, while shortstop Shyla Mead added three RBI on two hits.
Game 2 | Corban 8, Bushnell 1
After a game one shootout, everyone in attendance at Rich Schwab Field expected nothing different in game two but instead were met with an impressive pitching performance by Corban senior Kate Banks who picked up her first win, complete game, and one-run outing of the year all at the same time. After allowing the first run of the contest in the bottom of the third to a Richardson double, Banks locked in and shutout the Beacons for the remainder of the contest despite issuing six walks and two hit-by-pitches. Bushnell managed just three hits in 7.0 innings against Banks after tallying 17 in the opener while striking out on another five plate appearances.
Martin began game two in the circle once again for Bushnell after being chased early in game one, outdueling Banks through 3.0 innings before surrendering four runs in the top of the fourth and another three in the top of the fifth to a Corban offense that immediately responded following Banks' only run allowed of the contest. Martin accepted her eighth loss of the season while Richardson tossed the final 2.2 frames and allowed a single earned run.
Senio was the lone Warrior to repeat her game one success in terms of earning multiple base knocks in the doubleheader finale, as she plated three RBI and scored a run herself during her 2-for-4 outing. Landis tacked on another two RBI and is now batting .350 on the season following today's outburst.
Wambolt, Richardson, and leadoff hitter/second baseman Makenzie Alexander were the only Beacons to reach safely in game two via base hits, with Alexander drawing a pair of walks and scoring the home team's only run of the game off Richardson's RBI double.
With the CCC series already clinched, the Navy and Gold can claim both a conference series sweep and four-game series sweep with another pair of wins tomorrow against the Beacons, with the final CCC contest scheduled for 11am and the non-conference matchup slated for a 1pm start time.
Follow Corban Athletics:
Facebook l Twitter (X) l Instagram l YouTube l Email
