Ashland, Ore. | Facing yet another nationally ranked team in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) this afternoon, the Warner Pacific University Softball team (5-27, 3-18) dropped the back end doubleheader of a four-game series with the #9 Southern Oregon University Raiders (34-10, 15-6), falling 0-12 in the final conference game, and 3-12 in the non-conference contest.
 
Game 1
 
SOU continued their offensive dominance in this four-game series right out of the gate in the first inning of game one, scoring three unearned runs to take a 3-0 advantage out of the first frame. After a sacrifice fly to score the first run of the contest, Southern Oregon first baseman Ashton Cathey cleared the bases on a two-run homer over the centerfield fence on a 2-1 count.
 
The bottom of the second inning is where the Raiders completely took control, scoring five more runs to extend their lead to 8-0, and thus activating the run-rule to force Warner Pacific into a "run-or-done" situation.
 
However, the eight-run deficit grew even higher for the Knights, as Southern Oregon tacked on an additional four runs over the bottom of the third and fourth innings, and nothing offensively for Warner Pacific resulted in the Raiders' 12-0 victory.
 
Knights' sophomore starting pitcher Sammie Brauckmiller (1-9) surrendered four runs on four hits through 1.2 innings, all of which were unearned. Senior relief pitcher Carrigan Foster came in to complete the game for Brauckmiller, allowing eight runs on 10 hits and walking two batters.
 
The only two hits of the contest for Warner Pacific came off the bats of senior centerfielder Paityn Willoughby and junior leftfielder Ashley Hawkins, who singled in the top of the first and top of the third innings, respectively.
 
Southern Oregon starting pitcher Cayla Williams (10-2) once again tossed an incredible performance in the circle, limiting WPU to just two hits and no runs, walking one and striking out five. Williams allowed just three hits in 10.0 innings of work this weekend, allowing zero runs to cross the plate and striking out nine batters for what will surely be a Pitcher of the Week nomination.
 
The Raiders were led offensively by Cathey, whose home run was the exclamation point to a 3-for-3 performance with four RBIs and a run scored. Williams added a hit, a run scored, and two RBIs to her masterful pitching performance, and catcher Riley Donovan added a hit and RBI to her totals for the weekend.
 
Game 2
 
For the fourth consecutive game, Southern Oregon was the first to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning, but the Warner Pac was able to limit the Raiders to just two earned runs to trail 0-2 after the first inning of gameplay.
 
SOU doubled the lead in the bottom of the second inning, highlighted by yet another RBI hit from Donovan that scored centerfielder Sarah Kerling from third base that made the score 4-0 in favor of the Raiders.
 
Warner Pacific made some noise in the top of the third inning, as two straight hit by pitches to start the inning, followed by an infield single to the shortstop by Brauckmiller led to a bases loaded, no out scenario for Willoughby. Despite a groundout to the pitcher for Willoughby, freshman leftfielder Kassidie Bukoski was able to cross the plate for the Knights' first run of the afternoon.
 
One out later, junior first baseman Emma Foster doubled to deep right field, scoring two more runs and cutting the SOU lead to just a single run at 4-3.
 
Cathey continued her supremacy at the plate in the bottom of the third inning, crushing a solo home run over the fence in left-centerfield, and growing the lead back to two runs.
 
The fourth inning proved to be crucial yet again in this CCC contest, as the Raiders chipped away at an injury-depleted WPU lineup to score seven runs, expanding the Southern Oregon lead to 12-3, and thus enforcing the run-rule that ended this contest after no scoring plays for WPU in the top of the fifth inning.
 
Warner Pacific sophomore starting pitcher Abby Carlson (3-14) started in the circle once again for WPU, allowing all 12 runs on 15 hits, while striking out one SOU batter.
 
E. Foster collected two RBIs on her third inning double to lead the Knights in the category, with Willoughby earning the only other RBI with one hit in two at-bats. Sophomore rightfielder Faith Vadelund swung the bat well for a perfect 2-for-2 performance at the plate, both of which dropped for singles.
 
Southern Oregon started Katie Machado (11-3) in the circle for game two, where she allowed three runs on seven WPU hits in 5.0 innings of work, striking out seven hitters and walking one in the process.
 
Donovan completed her case for CCC Player of the Week in game two of Saturday's doubleheader, batting 3-for-3 with a run scored and another two RBIs, totaling 13 for the four-game series. Cathey added two hits and two RBIs while scoring a run, and third baseman Phelicity Fa'aita duplicated Cathey with two hits and two RBIs as well.
 
Warner Pacific Softball returns to the field next week for another CCC four-game series, this time in Eugene, Ore. to battle the Bushnell University Beacons at Rich Schwab Field. Games one and two of the Friday doubleheader are scheduled for 2pm and 4pm PDT.