A solid all-around performance in the opener helped the Southern Oregon softball team split a pair of games with Northwest Christian today in Eugene.

The Raiders won the opener 6-2 and then dropped the nightcap 4-1.

The Raiders improved to 8-14 overall and 4-4 in Cascade Conference play and will travel to eighth-ranked Concordia next Saturday. Northwest Christian sits at 11-17 overall and 1-5 in conference action.

In the opener, the Beacons jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Raiders came alive.

Meghan Laughlin (Honolulu, Hawaii/Mid-Pacific Institute) tied the game with a two-run single in the top of third and junior pitcher Karri Johnson (Delta, British Columbia/Sands Secondary) completely shut down the Northwest Christian offense from that point on.

Johnson allowed just three hits the rest of the way and in the top of the seventh, the Raiders broke the game wide open.

Emily Matekel (Colfax, Calif./Colfax) and Rayna Okimoto (Honolulu, Hawaii/Aiea) led off the seventh with back-to-back singles. Kathryn Moy followed with a two-run double to right to make the score 4-2. Moy then scored on a three-base error on a ball off the bat of Justine Fulton (Reno, Nev./McQueen) and Fulton scored on an RBI single by Laughlin.

Johnson picked up her fourth straight win for the Raiders, giving up just five hits and not allowing an earned run.

Moy and Laughlin led the offense with two hits a piece.

In the nightcap, interim head coach Kolby Schooley went with the hot hand of Johnson in the circle and the move almost paid off.

Singles by Moy, Laughlin and Bailey Price (Napa, Calif./Vintage) in the top of the first gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead and Johnson allowed just one hit through the first four innings.

In the fifth, the Beacons finally broke through with a pair of runs and the hosts added two more in the sixth and held the Raiders scoreless.

Laughlin had two hits for the Raiders in the second game.