Sophomore first baseman Kylie Durre (Bend, Ore.) went 2-for-2 with three RBI for the Navy and Gold.
SALEM, Ore. – Despite loading the bases on a number of occasions and getting runners into scoring position in each of the last two innings, the Corban University softball team could not take advantage, as No. 13 Oregon Tech stormed back to nab an 8-7 win in the only game played on Sunday. Game two was cancelled due to heavy rain and wet field conditions.
The game between the top-two teams in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) standings turned out to live up to the hype, as both teams threatened offensively in almost every inning. Oregon Tech jumped on top in the first frame, as Tara Motes and Tre Sullivan both registered RBI hits for the Owls.
Corban responded right back with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two runs as well.
Oregon Tech jumped back on top via a run in the second, but then Warrior senior right-fielder RaeAnna Dorcas (Everett, Wash.) earned an RBI via a walk with the bases loaded in the bottom half of the frame, tying the contest. Sophomore third baseman Kylie Durre (Bend, Ore.) then came up with a big hit for the Warriors, singling to right field to score two Corban runners. The Navy and Gold would eventually tack on one more to take a 6-3 lead.
Despite scoring six runs in the first two frames, Corban will look back at those first two innings and see that a lot more damage could have been done at the plate, as the Warriors left the based loaded in both innings.
The fourth inning is where things went wrong for the Navy and Gold, as Sullivan ripped an RBI single to center field for the Owls, scoring two runners, cutting the deficit to just two. Then with a pair of runners on base, Tasha Silvius blasted a three-run homerun over the center-field wall, putting Oregon Tech in front, 8-7.
Not going down without a fight, Corban fought back and rallied with two outs in the sixth. Durre started the rally, singling up the middle, and then junior designated-hitter Jamie Costa (Tracy, Calif.) singled to right field, keeping the inning alive. Eventually with runners on at second and third base, the Warriors could not find the timely hit they were looking for, sending the game to the seventh.
In the top of the seventh, junior pitcher Danielle Horne (Vacaville, Calif.) got the Navy and Gold out of a bases-loaded jam, keeping the game within reach for Corban. The Warriors then got the tying run into scoring position in their final at-bat, but the clutch hit was not to be found, resulting in the one-run defeat for Corban.
For the game, the Warriors left 11 runners on base, while the Owls did the same.
At the dish, sophomore catcher Danielle Ackerman (Dallas, Ore.) led the way for Corban with a 3-for-4 performance and two runs scored, while Durre tallied a pair of hits for the Navy and Gold to go along with a team-best three RBI.
For Oregon Tech, McKenzie Shrum went 4-for-4 at the plate with one run scored and one RBI, while Katie Virtue added a trio of hits for the Owls.
Jessi Duncan came on in relief for Oregon Tech, earning the win by pitching 5.1 innings and giving up just one run. Junior pitcher Emily Buhrkuhl (Stockton, Calif.) received the loss for the Warriors, going four innings in the circle while surrendering eight runs, only seven of which were earned.
Horne pitched three solid innings of relief for the Navy and Gold, allowing four hits and no runs while striking out three.
With heavy rain falling at the end of game one and the forecast slated for heavy rain throughout the remainder of the afternoon, game two was cancelled with no date set yet for a reschedule.
“Today was a battle between two very good teams,” said head coach Nathan Ohta. “We knew coming in that both teams were going to take their shots at each other, and would be ready to go. We both had opportunities to win this game, they just made one more big play than us this time around. That's part of what is great about softball though, as even though they got us today, we'll get three more shots at them this season. All in all though it was a great week for us.”
Corban (23-6, 7-2 CCC) returns to action on Tuesday when it travels to Pacific University for a pair of games against the Boxers. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. The Warriors then get back into CCC action next weekend when they take on Concordia University and Northwest University on the road.