ASHLAND, Ore. - The Simpson Softball team dropped a pair of games today against No. 6 in the nation Southern Oregon, 2-1 and 8-5. 

The Red Hawks drew first blood in the top of the second inning as Grace Chojnacki hit a solo blast off of 2025 NAIA Pitcher of the Year, Ayla Davies. 

Starter Jacquelyn Lujan quieted the Raiders' bats as she tossed four shutout innings before the Raiders plated two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. 

An RBI single by Vanessa Lang pushed home the tying run before the Red Hawks committed a crucial error to allow the go-ahead run to score. 

Davies settled down and held the Simpson bats at bay as she fired 5.0 shutout innings to preserve the win in game one. 

Both teams combined for nine hits as Chojacki provided the power swing, while Redding native, Kalea Thomas, posted the lone multi-hit performance for the Raiders. 

The Red Hawks struck first in game two on a solo shot by Brianna Lopez-Cortez as they plated one run in the first five innings of the game. 

Olivia Bicondova notched an RBI single in the second, Kassandra Soria hit a solo blast in the third, Rebekah Millan dropped down a safety squeeze in the fourth, and Lopez-Cortez struck again with an opposite-field home run in the fifth inning. 

However, a key four-run bottom of the fourth inning, highlighted by RBI knocks by Ari Williams and Thomara Drummer, gave the Raiders the 8-5 lead. 

Simpson made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh as they put the tying run on base. Lily Rojas narrowly tied the game on a long fly ball to left field, but a game-saving defensive play by SOU's Michelle Hara helped preserve the 8-5 victory for the Raiders. 

Jessica Heck, Soria, and Lopez-Cortez paced the Simpson bats with two-hit performances as they combined for three RBI's and three extra base hits. 

Simpson looks to bounce back tomorrow as the first pitch is scheduled for 11 am with a non-league game to follow. 


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