COMING UP: Corban hosts Cascade Collegiate Conference opponents Northwest University Eagles on Friday and Concordia University Cavaliers on Saturday in doubleheaders. The Warriors and Eagles start at 2 p.m., while first pitch for Saturday's twinbill between the Warriors and Cavaliers is slated for noon.

HOME, SWEET HOME: You can call them the Road Warriors if you like, because for the first time this season the Corban softball team will play on its home field. Corban has been on the road either playing at a neutral site or at an opponent's home field through its first 22 games. It will be nice for the team to play in front of the home fans.

TEAM RECORDS: Following four road losses to open conference play last weekend, Corban enters Friday's games with a 13-9 overall record and a 0-4 mark in the CCC. Northwest is 1-9 overall and 1-3 in the CCC after splitting with Eastern Oregon and losing twice to College of Idaho last weekend. Concordia, which plays at Northwest Christian on Friday, is 9-11 overall and 2-2 in the conference. Last weekend the Cavaliers dropped two games to College of Idaho and then swept Eastern Oregon.

PRESEASON POLL: In a preseason poll of the conference coaches, defending champion Corban came in fourth place with one first-place vote and 34 total points. College of Idaho picked up five first-place votes and 46 points, followed by Concordia with two first-place votes and 42 points, and then Oregon Tech with 36 total points. After Corban is Southern Oregon with 27 points, followed by Northwest Christian with 16, Northwest 12 and Eastern Oregon 11.  Corban won the 2013 Cascade Collegiate Conference title with a 24-4 record, with Oregon Tech and Concordia five games back at 19-9. College of Idaho was fourth at 17-11, followed by Southern Oregon 16-12.

LAST WEEK: It was a tough conference-opening road trip for Corban, which lost twice to both Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon. The Warriors ran into a couple of tough pitchers on the opening day of the Cascade Collegiate Conference softball season last Friday and fell by 10-2 and 5-0 scores to No. 25-ranked Oregon Tech. Corban managed just three hits in each game. A big offensive inning in each game proved crucial as Southern Oregon swept Corban, 7-4 and 5-2, on Saturday. The Raiders had decisive four-run innings in each game. Courtney Castronovo was 3-for-3 with her third home run of 2014 in the first game.

NORTHWEST BY THE NUMBERS: The Eagles sit at the bottom of the eight-team conference with a .231 batting average, and through 10 games they have scored just 23 runs while allowing 70. Junior infielder Katelin Lewis is, however, one of the CCC's top hitter with a .462 batting average. Katelyn Riedinger, a freshman infielder, carries a .321 average, followed by freshman outfielder Hanna Chaffin at .316. Kierston Perry, a junior pitcher, leads the team with eight runs batted in. Perry's pitching line shows a 0-4 record and 6.53 earned run average. The other pitcher is sophomore Kelli Peckham, who is 1-5 with an 8.32 ERA. Northwest's team earned run average is 7.58.

CONCORDIA BY THE NUMBERS: The Cavaliers, who are receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 national poll, are second among CCC team with a .322 batting average and in home runs with 15. Concordia averages 4.7 runs per game while allowing 4.0 per contest. The Cavs have six regulars hitting at least .300, led by freshman outfielder Meghan Luebbert with a .377 batting average, and she has two homers and seven runs batted in. Senior third baseman Cassidy Horner is hitting .371, sophomore shortstop Taylor Copher is hitting .355 with two homers and 10 RBI, while senior outfielder Katie Aden brings a .333 average with three homers and 12 RBI. Three pitchers pretty much share the starting duty. Senior McKenzie Marshall is 5-3 with a 2.36 earned run average, senior Danielle Orvella is 2-4 with a 4.01 ERA, and freshman Tori Muir is 0-2 with a 3.57 ERA.

CORBAN BY THE NUMBERS: The Warriors are hitting .279 as a team and average 5.6 runs per game while allowing 4.5 per contest. They have hit 16 home runs this season, more than any other CCC team, though they have also played at least three more games than any other league opponent. Where the Warriors have been particularly impressive is in the stolen base department. They are 53-for-57 in that category, a 93 percent success rate. The Corban pitchers have a combined 3.54 earned run average, ranking third in the CCC, and they have given up just eight home runs, tied for second lowest in the league and impressive given the higher number of games that the team has played.

SORENSEN SOARING: Junior infielder Kyrianna Sorensen continues to have an outstanding season. She ranks third in the CCC with a .437 batting average and is easily the CCC leader with 31 total hits and 10 doubles. In addition, she is tied for the league lead with four homers and is a perfect 7-for-7 in steals.

LEADING LADIES: Lots of different players have contributed to Corban's success, an indication being eight different players hitting at least one homer this season. Freshman catcher Breonna Bejaran is hitting .351 with seven doubles, three homers and a team-high 22 RBI. Freshman outfielder Taylor Eilders is hitting .364, and freshman first baseman Kylie Durre has a .31 average and is 9-for-9 in steals. Freshman outfielder Annie Owen is 11-for-11 and junior utility player Shelby Mauermann is 10-for-10 in steal attempts. Freshman second baseman Aubrene Blas has two homers and 13 RBI this season.

PITCHING PROWESS: A four-member pitching staff featuring three right-handers and a lefty has been very solid this season. Sophomore Samantha Gutwig is 3-2 and ranks third among CCC pitcher with a 2.10 earned run average. Junior Jessica Slate is 4-2, sophomore Danielle Horne is 2-0, and sophomore lefty Jessica Holsinger has fanned 44 batters in 47 2/3 innings while compiling a 4-5 record.

WHAT'S AHEAD: Corban returns to Cascade Collegiate Conference play at 2 p.m. Tuesday when it hosts Northwest Christian at Warrior Field.