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Corban dials long distance in twin bill with WOU Wolves
March 13, 2007
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Sophomore Erin Sailors pitched a combined 9.2 innings today against Western Oregon, allowing 8 runs (7 earned), but struck out five WOU batters in the process that included a complete game in the opener. (Photo courtesy of William Scott Photography) |
SALEM, Ore. - Freshman Siriana Guest (Salem, Ore.) and junior Jennifer Childers (Winston, Ore.) each hit home runs on Tuesday in a double-header match up with NCAA Division II member Western Oregon, but it was not enough as Corban's softball team dropped both games, 5-4 & 22-2, on Tuesday.
Game #1 - Western Oregon 5, Corban 4
In the opening game, Corban began the scoring in the third inning when sophomore Megan Gaylord (Portland, Ore.) opened the stanza with a bunt single to the catcher. Freshman Kacie Emerick (Bellingham, Wash.) sacrificed Gaylord over to second with a bunt to third base. Junior Megan Lamson (Medford, Ore.) then singled to third base via a bunt that advance Gaylord to third with only one out. With Gaylord baiting Western Oregon's first baseman into a throw to third in an attempted pick off, Lamson moved up sixty feet to second without an attempt to throw her out. With runners on second and third, junior Lindsay Batey (Aloha, Ore.) then singled up the middle, scoring Gaylord from third before Lamson scored when the Wolves' center fielder bobbled the ball.
Corban's sophomore starting pitcher Erin Sailors (Anchorage, Alaska) held Corban's NCAA Division opponent from Monmouth scoreless until the 6th inning when the flood gates opened, allowing the Wolves to put five runs on the board with two swings of the bat. In the top of the 6th inning, Western Oregon's Tyler Sutherland led off the inning with a solo home run over the left field fence that pulled the visiting Wolves with a mere run. Following the Wolves' first long distance shot, Sailors settled down and got three of the next four WOU batters ending any threat that Western Oregon might have mounted.
In the 7th inning, Western Oregon's first three batters reached base via a pair of walks and an error by Corban's short stop. Sailors got Western Oregon's Shaley Young out via a batter's interference call, as her bunt attempt hit her while she was still in the batter's box. With the bases loaded, the stage was set once again for Sutherland, who promptly stepped up the plate and with one swing of the bat turned a 1-run deficit into a 3-run lead for the Wolves with her second home run of the game -- a grand slam over the left field fence.
Trailing by three runs, Corban came to the plate in its final at-bat with Gaylord reaching via an error by WOU's pitcher. Two batters later, with Gaylord at second base via a stolen base, Guest belted her second home run of the season -- a bomb over the left field fence -- that pulled Corban within a mere run at 5-4. Unfortunately, Corban could not get any closer as Western Oregon allowed a single to Batey before recording the final out via a strikeout by freshman Nicole Leupitz (Keizer, Ore.).
Lamson led the Warriors' offense with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate, while Batey and Leupitz each had 2-for-4 days at the plate. Sailors went the distance, allowing 5 runs (4 earned) on 4 hits, while striking out 5 Wolf batters.
For Western Oregon, Sutherland went 3-for-4 and accounted for all five Wolves' runs, while scoring twice herself. Christina Cooke pitched all seven innings, allowing 4 runs (2 earned) on 9 hits, while fanning 5 Warrior hitters.
Game #2 - Western Oregon 22, Corban 2
In the night cap, Western Oregon scored 20 runs in the first three innings and a pair of runs in the fifth and final inning before ending the game in five innings, 22-2, due to the 8-run mercy rule.
Corban junior Kelley Seaton (Salem, Ore.) started, pitched the first 1-plus innings, allowing 11 runs (all earned) on 9 hits, before giving way to sophomore Karlee Sisler (Corvallis, Ore.). Sisler remained in the circle for 1.1 innings of work, allowing 8 runs (7 earned) on 6 hits before turning the ball over to Sailors for the final 2.2 innings. Sailors held the high scoring Wolves' offense to a mere 3 runs (all earned) on 3 hits.
In the Warriors' half of the first inning, Corban got on the board via a ground out by Guest to short that allowed Gaylord to score from third. In the second inning, Childer connected on her first home run of the season -- a solo shot to left center -- that got the Warriors within eleven runs.
Childers ended the game a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored, while Gaylord, Batey, and Sisler each recorded a hit for Corban.
Western Oregon's Melissa Wilson and Amanda Fleer each drove in five RBIs for the Wolves, while Bonnie Trigero and Young accounted for four and three runs batted in respectively. Brianne Dieringer went the distance in the circle for Western Oregon, allowing a pair of earned runs on 5 hits, while striking out 3 Warrior batters.
The losses drop Corban's softball team record to 1-7-1 overall. With the back-to-back wins, the Wolves improve to 5-9 overall. Corban will be in action next Friday, March 16th, when the Warriors continue their run of home games against NCAA Division II member Northwest Nazarene beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Warrior Field.
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