BOX SCORE
LEWISTON, Idaho – Senior
Russ Johnston (Independence, Ore.) belted a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning, as Corban's baseball team fell one run short in a 4-3 loss to the NAIA's No. 7-ranked Lewis-Clark State Friday night at Harris Field.
After tonight's game was moved from Salem to Lewiston due to the amount of rain that the Willamette Valley and Warrior Field had received over the past few days, neither team scored in the first inning which set up the game's opening runs in the bottom of the second.
Lewis-Clark State posted a pair of runs on the board in the second inning thanks to two hits. Rene Escobar roped a one-out double down the left field line followed by a Matt Allen infield single that placed runners at second and third. The very next batter – Kris Miller – reached via a Warrior fielding error that allowed Escobar to score from second. LCSC's Kyle Melton then brought home the host Warriors' second run of the inning via a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher that allowed Allen to score.
Three innings later, Lewis-Clark State got on the board again via a solo run off two hits. Paul Martin opened the frame with a walk before Sean Halton singled to left field, which allowed Martin to advance to third. LCSC's Bernard Pena then singled through the left side allowing Martin to score Lewis-Clark State's third run of the evening.
Corban finally got on the board in the top of the sixth inning when junior
Josh Warner (Independence, Ore.) registered a one-out triple to left center. The very next batter – senior
Craig Spicer (Vancouver, Wash.) – brought Warner home via a grounded out to short, which cut the visiting Warriors' deficit to two runs (3-1).
In their half of the sixth inning, Lewis-Clark State tacked on the eventual game-winning run when Melton was hit by a pitch and then advanced to second via a stolen base. Following Melton's steal, Todd Muecklisch singled to center field to bring home the host Warriors' fourth and final run of the evening.
After back-to-back 1-2-3 innings for Corban, the visiting Warriors struck in their final at-bat when sophomore
Taylor Stiles (Santa Maria, Calif.) registered a two-out single to right field. With fellow sophomore
Tony Salamone (Medford, Ore.) running for Stiles, Johnston proceeded to belt a two-run home run over the left field wall that brought Corban within a single run (4-3). Sophomore
Trevor Winsor (Troutdale, Ore.) then doubled down the left field line to put the tying run at second base. Unfortunately for Corban, Lewis-Clark State got the game's final out via a ground out to first to hand the nationally-ranked Warriors the slim one-run victory.
Offensively, Corban was led by Stiles' 2-for-4 performance at the plate to go along with four other Warriors – Warner, Johnston, Winsor, and junior
Matt Schmidt (Corvallis, Ore.) – who registered a hit each.
On the mound, senior
Jason Braun (Dallas, Ore.) went the opening 7.0 innings allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits to go along with four strikeouts. Sophomore
Kyle Lamson (Medford, Ore.) pitched the Warriors' final inning, as he got L-C State in order in the eighth inning that included one strikeout.
Lewis-Clark State was led by Muecklisch, Halton, and Allen, who recorded two hits each. Meanwhile, Tyler Knigge went the opening 7.0 innings on the mound for LCSC allowing one earned run on three hits to go along with a game-high seven K's. Zach Clanton pitched the eighth and ninth inning for Lewis-Clark State en route to earning the save despite allowing two runs (all earned) on three hits.
With the loss, Corban falls to 2-7 overall versus Lewis-Clark State's 7-3 win-loss record. These same two teams will meet in a double header on Saturday, February 28th, beginning at 11:00 a.m. at Harris Field.
