Freshman Stephanie Nippert brought home seven of Corban's 15 runs Friday afternoon against Walla Walla that included a home run in each game.
Corban's Nippert Belts Two Home Runs in Sweep
BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2
SALEM, Ore. – Freshman Stephanie Nippert (Rocklin, Calif.) belted a pair of home runs to go along with back-to-back shutouts by sophomore Brittany Wagner (Oregon City, Ore.) and junior Makenzie Marchbanks (Sweet Home, Ore.), as Corban's softball team swept an afternoon double header against Walla Walla, 8-0 & 7-0, Friday afternoon at Warrior Field.
Having won three of its last four games, Corban improves to 7-10 overall and Walla Walla drops to 1-3 on its young season.
Nippert led a Warrior offensive attack that included 20 hits with a combined 5-for-6 performance to go along with five runs scored and seven runs batted in. Meanwhile, six other Warriors recorded at least two hits on the afternoon that included sophomore Rebecca Anni's (Independence, Ore.) first collegiate home run in the opener.
In the circle, Wagner went the distance in Game #1 allowing no runs on five hits to go along with a game-high four strikeouts. The finale belonged to Marchbanks, as she allowed no runs on two hits and struck out four batters en route to registering her second shutout this week.
GAME #1 – CORBAN 8, WALLA WALLA 0 (6 INNINGS)
Corban would get on the board first in the bottom of the second inning when Nippert doubled to right center to lead off the at-bat before coming home on senior Jessica Schell's (Portland, Ore.) RBI sacrifice bunt one batter later.
In the bottom of the third inning, the host Warriors would put three more runs on the board when senior Rebecca Franke (Pendleton, Ore.) singled to right field and freshman Erica Fitzgerald (Beaverton, Ore.) walked before Nippert cranked her first collegiate home run over the right center field fence for a 4-0 Corban lead.
The host Warriors would put two more runs on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning when Schell reached on an error with the bases loaded before Wagner drew a bases loaded walk that extended Corban's lead to 6-0.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Anni would lead off with a home run over the center field fence before senior Jessica Pierce (Kennewick, Wash.) walked. Back-to-back singles by freshman Liane DeHart (Kent, Wash.) and Franke would load the bases before Nippert ended the game with a sacrifice fly to right field one batter later for the 8-0 Corban lead that enforced the eight-run mercy rule after five innings.
Walla Walla got a hit from five different players that included a perfect 1-for-1 showing by reserve second baseman Veronica Rojas. In the circle, Andrea Pedro would go the opening 4.0 innings allowing four runs (all earned) on five hits before giving way to Ashley Martinez for the final 1.2 innings.
GAME #2 – CORBAN 7, WALLA WALLA 0
The finale would begin with Corban plating four runs in the bottom of the first inning on a Fitzgerald run-scoring single that brought DeHart home before back-to-back-to-back doubles by Nippert, freshman Nicole Sikes (San Diego, Calif.), and Schell would extend the host Warriors' lead to 4-0 after their opening at-bat.
Corban would get one more run in the bottom of the second inning on Fitzgerald's double to left field that scored Pierce and extended the Warriors' lead to 5-0.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Franke would lead off with a single before stealing second and advancing to third on Fitzgerald's ground out. The very next batter – Nippert – would close out the game's scoring with her second home run of the afternoon down the left field line that scored Franke and made the final tally 7-0 in favor of the home team.
Walla Walla would get a pair of 1-for-3 performances from Kristi Hernandez and Danielle Pulley, as the Wolves' Pedro went the opening 0.1 innings allowing four earned runs on five hits before giving way to Martinez for the final 5.2 innings.
Corban will return to the diamond on Thursday, March 11th, for a mid-afternoon double header against the Thunderbirds of British Columbia beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Warrior Field.