SALEM, Ore – The Bushnell softball team picked up their first CCC series sweep of the season with a huge shutout victory in Sunday's opener, but dropped the non-conference fourth game to Corban University.
 
An inconsistent Bushnell defense proved to be costly in Saturday's action as they committed eight errors, leading to six unearned runs in the nightcap.
 
GAME ONE: Bushnell 3, Corban 0
 
Sara Martin (6-7) threw a complete game against Corban, earning her second shutout of the season. She struck out four Warriors and pitched only two walks in her seven innings of action.
 
Bushnell proved to be ready from the start in game one, scoring a first inning run powered by an RBI single from Ashlyn Martin (pictured). Shyla Mead brought up the momentum for the Beacons in the two innings later with a timely double down the right field line. Ashlyn Martin delivered at the plate once again, earning an RBI single to right center to score Mead. Ashlyn Martin and Mead combined to earn four out of Bushnell's six hits in game one with two apiece. 
 
Sara Martin continued her noteworthy performance on the offensive side, opening the sixth inning with a double to right field. A sacrifice bunt by Brooklyn Rondeau put the Beacons in scoring position, which Brenna Wilson took advantage of with her RBI single to give Bushnell their third and final run of the game.
 
GAME TWO: Corban 10, Bushnell 7
 
Corban jumped ahead of the Beacons early in game two, taking advantage of Bushnell's defensive mistakes to string together two early unearned runs on three hits. The Warriors continued to take advantage of their lead, and collected four more runs in the third inning.
 
Facing a hefty deficit, Bushnell immediately got to work on responding to Corban's lead in the next inning. A single by Sara Martin, a hit-by-pitch, and a walk loaded the bases for Bushnell. Montanah Love took no more time to give Bushnell their first score of the game with a two-RBI single to left center. Another walk loaded the bases again for the Beacons, and Violet Richardson gave the Warriors deja vu with Bushnell's second two-RBI single of the inning.
 
Corban fiercely bounced back in the bottom of the inning, and rattled Bushnell defensively to score three unearned runs, increasing their lead to five runs after four innings. 
 
Riley Peeler used her speed to start the fifth, earning her first triple of the season. Sara Martin brought her home with a sacrifice fly to cut the Warriors' lead to four. An inning later, Shyla Mead and Sara Martin each brought the Beacons another run closer with their respective RBI singles and giving Bushnell its final runs of the game.
 
Emily Cole (5-12) started the game in the circle for the Beacons, pitching 2.1 innings and collecting three strikeouts. Alexis Perez followed, pitching 1.2 innings and adding two more strikeouts for Bushnell on zero earned runs. Emma Fournier finished on the mound, pitching two complete innings with zero earned runs allowed and one strikeout.
 
UP NEXT: Bushnell (11-25, 6-15 CCC) will host No. 11 Eastern Oregon (23-6, 18-3) next weekend for their final home stand of the season. The first pitch of the series is set to be thrown at 3:00 pm on Friday.