Junior Chelsea Schriber has allowed a mere two earned runs over her last 32.0 innings of work that included a complete game shutout of Northwest Christian Tuesday in CCC action.
Corban Sweeps Rival Northwest Christian
BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2
SALEM, Ore. – Corban's nationally-ranked softball team extended its current winning streak to eight games with a double header sweep of Cascade Collegiate Conference rival Northwest Christian, 7-3 & 9-0 in five innings, Tuesday at Warrior Field.
With today's wins, Corban set a single-season program record for victories improving to 27-9 overall and 12-6 in CCC play. Meanwhile, Northwest Christian falls to 8-29 overall and 4-14 in league games.
Junior Stephanie Nippert led the Warriors' offense with a combined 5-for-6 with five runs and five runs batted in, while also belting her conference and team-leading 17th and 18th home runs of the year. Along with Nippert, fellow junior Erica Fitzgerald connected on a pair of home runs in the double header to push her season total to eight and junior Chynna Sandhop went a perfect 3-for-3 in the finale.
GAME #1 – CORBAN 7, NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN 3
In today's opener, Northwest Christian scored first on a two-run home run by Amanda Reiss in the top of the second inning that put the visiting Beacons up by a score of 2-0.
Corban would strike back in the bottom of the third inning when senior Abbie Pynch ripped a one-out single to right center before moving to third on a single to right center by junior Brittany Chestnut. Junior Liane DeHart would bring home Pynch on a ground out to the catcher before Nippert ripped a hard single through the left side allowing Chestnut to score from third and tie the game at 2-2. The Warriors' very next batter – junior Rachel Conard – put the home team up for good when she lined a home run over the left field fence for a two-run round tripper that handed Corban a two-run lead (4-2).
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Fitzgerald belted a solo home run over the left field fence giving Corban a three-run lead (5-2) before Nippert crushed a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to straight away center field for a five-run Warrior lead (7-2) after five innings of play.
Northwest Christian would get its third and final run of the game in the top of the seventh inning, as Gabby Stover led off with a double to left center before coming home on a RBI single down the right field line by Megan Mazanec for the final margin of four runs (7-3).
Conard was a perfect 3-for-3 for the Warriors with one run scored and two RBI, while Pynch was 2-for-2 and Nippert was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three runs batted in. Junior starter Amy Greenough picked up her team-leading 12th win of the season allowing two earned runs on two hits in 5.0 innings of work before freshman reliever Jessica Slate allowed one earned run on two hits over the final 2.0 innings.
Northwest Christian was led offensively by Stover with a 2-for-3 performance, while Brooke Davis went the opening 4.0 innings allowing seven earned runs on nine hits before Jenna Royce allowed only one hit over the final two innings.
GAME #2 – CORBAN 9, NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN 0 (5 INNINGS)
In the finale, Corban scored in each of its four at-bats beginning in the bottom of the first when sophomore Lounette Jackson hit a dribbling single up the middle that allowed Sandhop and Nippert to score for an early 2-0 Warrior lead.
Corban would strike again in the bottom of the second inning when sophomore Courtney Castronovo led off with a double down the right field line before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by Chestnut and coming home on a double to right center by Sandhop for a 3-0 Warrior advantage.
In the bottom of the third inning, Nippert would leadoff with a single through the left side before Conard reached on a dropped fly ball by NCU's left fielder and senior Emma Winckler drew a one-out walk to load the bases. Fitzgerald would then deposit the third pitch that she saw over the left field fence for a grand slam that increased Corban's lead to seven runs (7-0).
Not wanting to extend play past the eight-run, five-inning mercy rule limit, Corban tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when Sandhop registered her third hit of the game via a one out single to left field before Nippert crushed the fourth pitch that she saw approximately 30 feet beyond the left field fence for a nine-run Warrior lead (9-0).
Northwest Christian would muster only a single through the right side in the top of the fifth inning, as Corban's defense shut out the Beacons for its 27th win of the year.
Nippert and Sandhop each collected three hits for Corban, while junior Chelsea Schriber went the distance allowing just three hits to go along with three strikeouts.
Stover, Reiss, and Ally Mittleider collected hits for the visiting Beacons, while Kalyssa Koontz suffered the loss allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits with a game-high five K's before Royce went the final inning allowing two earned runs on two hits.
Corban will return to action on Friday, April 20th, against the Cavaliers of Concordia in a mid-afternoon double header beginning at 2:00 p.m. at Delta Park in Portland.