Senior Jessica Pierce led the Warriors' offensive attack with three combined hits that included a run-scoring triple in Game #2 Monday against Simpson.
Corban Splits Double Header Against Simpson
BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2
SALEM, Ore. – After picking up its first win ever against Simpson in Game #1, Corban's softball team dropped the finale to the California Pacific Conference member Redhawks Monday afternoon at Warrior Field. This afternoon's scores were 6-3 in favor of the host Warriors & 5-3 to Simpson in Game #2.
With today's results, Corban moves to 8-13 overall and Simpson goes to 18-9 on its season.
Senior Jessica Pierce (Kennewick, Wash.) went a combined 3-for-6 with two runs scored and one run batted in, while fellow seniors Rebecca Franke (Pendleton, Ore.) and Jessica Schell (Portland, Ore.) collected two hits each in today's opener.
In Game #1, sophomore Brittany Wagner (Oregon City, Ore.) went the opening 4.0 innings allowing three earned run on eight hits before turning the ball over to junior Makenzie Marchbanks (Sweet Home, Ore.) for the final 3.0 innings that included a game-high five strikeouts. Game #2 featured sophomore Twyla Baggarley (Hillsboro, Ore.) for the opening 4.2 innings allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits before handing the ball to Wagner for the final 2.1 innings.
GAME #1 – CORBAN 6, SIMPSON 3
Simpson would open the afternoon's scoring with a single run in the top of the 1st inning when Corinne Alexander roped a single to center field that scored Nicole Hutchins from second base.
Corban would batted back in its opening at-bat with two runs when Schell drove in Franke and freshman Tamara Feb (Oregon City, Ore.) with a single to right center to gave Corban an early lead, 2-1.
The visiting Redhawks would battle back with two more runs in the top of the third inning when Candice Valerga roped a bases-loaded single to left field that allowed Hutchins to score her second run of the game. The very next batter – Lauren Flood – brought home Simpson's final run of the opener via a fielder's choice that brought home Nicole Feuerbach for the 3-2 lead.
Corban would take the lead for good in the bottom of the third when freshman Erica Fitzgerald (Beaverton, Ore.) singled up the middle to bring home fellow freshman Stephanie Nippert (Rocklin, Calif.) to knot the game at 3-all. Schell would come to the plate and trade places with Fitzgerald via a double to left center that score the eventual game-winning run to make the score 4-3 in favor of the host Warriors.
Neither team would score again until the bottom of the sixth inning when Corban plated two more runs on an infield single by Franke that scored Marchbanks. On the play, Pierce would score the Warriors' sixth and final run on a throwing error by Simpson's second baseman that capped the game's run total.
Wagner was awarded the win, while Marchbanks earned her first save as a Warrior after pitching three perfect innings. Meanwhile, Simpson's Krystal Shaw would suffer the loss allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits.
GAME #2 – SIMPSON 5, CORBAN 3
In the finale, Simpson would score single runs in the second and third innings with Amanda Ayala bringing home the game's opening run with a sacrifice fly before Chalynn Passmore scored the visiting Redhawks' second run on a pass ball one inning later.
Simpson would plate three more runs in the top of the fifth inning when Feuerbach registered a bases-loaded sacrifice fly allowing Danielle Crisosto to score from third. The very next batter – Alexander – would rope a two-run single up the middle that scored both Hutchins and Flood to make the score 5-0 in Simpson's favor.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Corban would plate its opening run on a double steal that involved Franke and Pierce before Nippert doubled to center field that nearly left the playing field before hitting midway up the fence allowing Franke to score from second to make the score 5-2 in favor of the visiting Redhawks.
The seventh and final inning would see Corban scoring one more run when sophomore pinch hitter Rebecca Anni (Independence, Ore.) singled to left field before being replaced on the base path by freshman Tess Bennett (Sutherlin, Ore.). The next batter – Pierce – would then rope a triple to left field allowing Bennett to score from first to make the difference two runs (5-3) with two outs. Unfortunately, the host Warriors could not get anymore runs across the plate as Simpson got a ground out to end the game.
Baggarley would suffer the loss for Corban, while Simpson's Hayley Rodriguez went the distance for the Redhawks allowing three earned runs on six hits en route to securing the complete game victory.
Corban will return to the diamond on Friday, March 19th, when it opens Cascade Collegiate Conference play with a double header against rival Concordia beginning at 2:00 p.m. at Delta Park in Portland.