KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The (RV) Corban University softball team looked to bounce back on Sunday after the No. 7-ranked Oregon Tech Owls took both of Saturday's contests down in Klamath Falls, Ore.
The Warriors did manage to walk away with a Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) victory on day two, winning a 7-5 thriller in the first game of the day. The Owls' offense was too much in the non-conference finale, however, as Oregon Tech took game two by a 14-5 (six innings) tally.
The game-one defeat marks the first loss of the season for Owls, who had won their previous 20 matchups.
As was the story yesterday, the Oregon Tech bats came out of the gates hot, with NAIA home run leader Kennedy Jantzi blasting a three-run shot (her 11th of the season) in the top of the first inning.
Showing resiliency, the Warriors didn't back down, as they began to claw away at the deficit with runs in the next three frames. Some crafty baserunning from Makiah Johnson and Kaylee Buhrkuhl conjured a run in the first, while RBI doubles from Madison Wyllie and Ivey Uppinghouse each plated runs in the second and third.
Another long ball, this time a two-run homer from Kayla Mick, helped the Owls regain the lead in the fourth, but a pivotal three-run bottom of the fifth enabled the Navy and Gold to grab its first lead of the weekend.
Wyllie was once again at the center of it, tying the game with a two-run double—her second two-bagger of the game. Johnson—who finished the contest going a perfect 4-for-4 at the dish—then lifted the Warriors ahead with a run-scoring single. Anastasia Iosia provided some valuable insurance with an RBI sac fly in the following stanza, giving extra cushion for Ally Crakes, who would earn the win in relief after tossing three and two-thirds scoreless innings.
Crakes then started the non-conference series finale, but the Oregon Tech lineup saw much different results in game two against the Corban southpaw.
Another three-run jack—this time from Maggie Buckholz—capped off a four-run first for the Owls in game two. That would be the first of three homers in the game for the squad, with the other two coming from Krista Ward, who went 3-for-5 with a pair of blasts and five RBIs in an impressive offensive display.
Oregon Tech scored in all but one inning in the run-rule triumph.
Of note for the Navy and Gold, star shortstop Buhrkuhl drove in all but one of the team's runs in the defeat, three of which were via her first home run of the season in the bottom of the fifth.
The Warriors (12-10, 7-2 CCC) will travel out to Great Falls, Mont. next weekend for a four-game set with the University of Providence on Friday and Saturday.