GAME 1 BOX         GAME 2 BOX

LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University softball team had its three-game win streak snapped with an 11-3 loss and a 12-4 loss to Corban University to open conference play Friday.

The Warriors' (10-7) (2-0) Stephanie Nippert and Courtney Castronovo combined for six hits each on the afternoon, while Emma Winckler registered five hits over the two games. Corban pounded out a combined 30 hits in the double header en route to a pair of wins

In the opener, Corban took an early 3-0 lead after the opening two innings when Nippert scored the game's opening run on an error following her single up the middle and team-leading 10th stolen base of the season. Lounette Jackson and Liane DeHart would bring home the Warriors' second and third runs in the top of the second inning via a double and single, respectively, that handed the Warriors an early three-run lead.

Eastern Oregon would cut into Corban's lead in the bottom of the third via an unearned run on the Warriors' lone error of the game that made the score 3-1 in favor of the visiting team.

In the top of the fourth inning, the Warriors would push their lead to four runs (5-1) on run-scoring hits by Nippert and Rachel Conard. The Mountaineers would put another run on the board in the bottom of the fourth when pitcher Jennifer McDonnell connected on a lead off home run that pulled EOU within three runs, 5-2.

In the top of the fifth inning, Corban would once again take a four-run lead when Abbie Pynch scored on a wild pitch following her single through the left side. The Warriors would seal the win in the top of the seventh inning when Nippert drove home DeHart with a double to left center before coming home on a single by Tamara Feb that pushed the score to 8-2.

The next batter, Winckler, cleared the bases with a shot that hit the ground 25 feet beyond the outfield fence. After Winkler's home run, Castronovo capped the Warriors' scoring with her third long ball of the season via a pop fly that caught the high winds that were gusting at 20 miles per hour and fell on the other side of the fence to push the score to 11-2 in favor of Corban.

Eastern Oregon would add its last run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a single up the middle by Ashli Hughes that capped the game's scoring and made the final difference eight runs, 11-3.

The Mountaineers were led offensively by Emily Anderson with a 2-for-3 performance, while four other EOU players – Maribeth Watanabe, Hughes, Wailana Buchanan, and McDonnell – collected a hit each in the opener. McDonnell threw a complete game, allowing 11 runs (four earned) on 16 hits to go along with seven K's.

Nippert and Castronovo each collected three hits, while all nine batters registered at least one hit in the opener. Senior Makenzie Marchbanks picked up her fifth win of the season via her sixth complete game of the season allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits with a game-high 12 strikeouts.

In the finale, Nippert and Castronovo etched their names in the record books. In the top of the fourth inning, Nippert hit her ninth home run of the season and 20th of her young career becoming the all-time home run leader in program history. During the same inning, Castronovo belted her second home run of the game to drive in a team-high seven RBI and in the process surpassed the old single-game record of six runs batted in.

Eastern Oregon got the first two runs in the bottom of the first thanks to a run-scoring hit by Hughes followed by a sacrifice fly by Buchanan that made the score 2-0 in favor of the home team.

Corban responded with a lead off single to center field by Winckler before Castronovo belted her second home run of the afternoon that knotted the score at 2-2. The next batter, Erica Fitzgerald, would give Corban a one-run lead, 3-2, with her first home run of the season.

Eastern Oregon would tie the game for the third and final time in the bottom of the second inning when on a home run by Stephanie Maestretti that evened the score at 3-3.

In the top of the third inning, Castronovo would bring home the eventual game-winning run via a double to left field before Jackson pushed the Warriors' lead to four runs with a run-scoring double.

One inning later, Nippert hit career home run number 20 with a solo shot over the left field fence before Castronovo capped her afternoon with her fifth home run of the season – a three-run shot over the right center field fence – that pushed her single-game total to seven runs batted in and moved the score to 11-3 in favor of the visitors.

Corban would finish up its scoring in the top of the fifth inning when Feb singled home Nippert with a hit into left field that pushed the Warriors' advantage to nine runs, 12-3.

Eastern Oregon attempted to extend the game in the bottom of the fifth, but Brittany Wagner held the Mountaineers to a single run en route to securing the 12-4 victory in five innings.

The Mountaineers were led offensively by Hughes with a 2-for-3 performance that included a pair of RBI, while Jessy Reynolds went the opening 3.1 innings for EOU allowing eight earned runs on 10 hits before turning the ball over to Suzie Espinoza for the final 1.2 innings of work.

Nippert, Castronovo, and Winckler each collected three hits in the finale, while Conard added a pair of hits. In the circle, Winkler went the opening 4.0 innings allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits with three strikeouts before turning the ball over to Wagner for the game's final three outs.

Eastern returns to the field Saturday against Northwest Christian. The Beacons were swept Friday at The College of Idaho. Saturday's first pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Peggy Anderson Field. Live stats will be available on EOUSports.com.