Over the past week, junior Makenzie Marchbanks has pitched four complete games logging 32.1 innings of work for Corban to go along with a team-leading 21 strikeouts.
Corban's Marchbanks Goes Distance vs. WOU
BOX SCORE
MONMOUTH, Ore. – Junior Makenzie Marchbanks (Sweet Home, Ore.) pitched a complete game against NCAA Division II Western Oregon, as Corban's softball team fell to the host Wolves, 1-0 in eight innings, Thursday afternoon at WOU Field.
With today's result, Corban falls to 4-5 on the season while Western Oregon opens its 2010 campaign at 1-0.
Marchbanks, who was named Cascade Collegiate Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday, pitched 7.1 innings allowing one earned run on seven hits to go along with a game-high seven strikeouts.
Neither team could put any type of offense together in the first inning before Western Oregon got a two-out single to center field by Tierra-Lyn Cuba. On an attempted pick off that skipped off the leg of the base umpire, Cuba advanced to third but could not score one batter later on a ground out.
Over the next four-plus innings, a pitching dual began until Western Oregon got a lead off double by Cuba in the bottom of the fifth inning. After advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt by Emily Kenagy, Cuba was thrown out at home on a double play following a short pop fly to the Warriors' second baseman.
To lead off the sixth inning, senior Kacie Emerick (Bellingham, Wash.) would reach via a throwing error by Western Oregon's pitcher and then advanced to third. Fellow senior Jessica Pierce (Kennewick, Wash.) would advance Emerick to third thanks to a sacrifice bunt before the fourth-year Warrior was thrown at home attempting to score on freshman Liane DeHart's (Kent, Wash.) ground out.
Neither team would strike again, as scoreless game went needed extra innings in order to come away with a winner.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Western Oregon got a one-out single to right field from Tyler Sutherland before Chelsey Grigsby laid down a bunt that found a hole between a charging Corban pitcher and third baseman that put runners on first and second. The very next batter – Bailey Rueck – took a Marchbanks' offering to the base of the fence in left center field allowing Sutherland to score the game-winning run.
Corban was led offensively by freshman Nicole Sikes (San Diego, Calif.), who went a perfect 2-for-2 off the bench. Fellow freshman Stephanie Nippert (Rocklin, Calif.) registered the Warriors' only other hit via a two-out single to center field in the top of the fourth inning.
Meanwhile, Western Oregon got two-hit performances from Cuba and Rueck. Five WOU pitchers combined for the shutout, as Brittany Reeves picked up the win going 3.0 innings allowing only one hit to go along with a team-high four strikeouts.
Corban will return to the diamond on Saturday, February 20th, against NCAA Division III member George Fox in an afternoon double header beginning at 12:00 p.m. in Newberg.