REDDING, Calif. - The Simpson softball team looked to get in the win column behind sophomore starter Jacquelyn Lujan as they took on Cascade opponent, Corban University in a doubleheader yesterday. 

The Red Hawks drew first blood in the second inning on a two-rally as back-to-back singles by Cassandra Mount and Kailey Vaillette put traffic aboard. 

Nicolena Holen came through with a clutch two-run double into the right-center gap that scored Mount and Vaillette to give Simpson the 2-0 lead. 

It's all the run support Lujan needed as she mowed down the Corban lineup and allowed just one Warrior base runner through the first four innings. 

Simpson added some insurance runs in the fifth inning as Holen drove home her third run of the game on an RBI single followed by a towering three-run blast by third basemen Brianna Lopez-Cortez. 

Lujan completed the no-hitter as she struck out the side in the seventh inning to give Simpson the 6-0 victory and put an exclamation on a career day. 

She finished with 15 strikeouts and allowed only two Corban baserunners to earn her first win of the year. 

Holen and Cortez provided the run support in game one as they each picked up three RBIs. 

Game 2:

Simpson looked for the sweep to climb to .500 on the year behind right-hander Lily Rojas. 

A leadoff double by Holen came around to score on a triple by Kassandra Soria followed by a sacrifice fly by Cortez gave Simpson the early 2-0 lead. 

But the Warriors tied the game at two in the top of the third inning on a Red Hawks error. 

Simpson answered back in the bottom half of the inning as the first three Simpson batters reached base safely. 

Ariel Schulzkump and Soria singled followed by a walk to Cortez to put ducks on the pond for Simpson. 

Jessica Heck had a team at-bat as she drove home a run on groundout before the Warriors aided the Red Hawks rally with a couple of miscues. 

Simpson jumped out and plated five runs in the fourth inning to take the commanding 10-2 lead. 

Five straight hits to open the inning started a big rally as singles by Elyse Benson and Vaillette came around to score on Holen's second two-run double of the day. 

Schulzkump tripled to drive home Holen as Soria drove home Schulzkump on a RBI double. 

But the Warriors rallied back as they plated four in the fifth and two more in the sixth to pull within two, 10-8. 

Simpson added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning on a solo shot by Cortez for her second long ball of the day. 

Isabella Conteras closed out the 11-9 victory for the Red Hawks as she picked up the six-out save. 

Hallie Prather picked up the win as she gave up one earned run over 1.2 innings of work while striking out two Corban batters. 

Soria led the Simpson bats with three hits which included a double, a triple, and two RBIs. 

Holen, Schulzkump, and Vaillette each picked up two hits to highlight the 13-hit performance by the Red Hawks. 

Simpson looks to keep the momentum rolling as they the on Oregon Tech today at 12 and 2 pm. 
 

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