BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2

SALEM, Ore. – Senior Russ Johnston (Independence, Ore.) drove in both Warrior runs in the finale via his team-leading sixth home run of the season and a run-scoring single, but it was not enough as Corban's baseball team fell to the NAIA's No. 10-ranked Warriors of Lewis-Clark State, 8-3 & 9-2, Thursday afternoon at Warrior Field.

In the opener, Lewis-Clark State wasted no time in putting runs on the board thanks to three runs off three hits in the first inning. The visiting Warriors got back-to-back infield singles from Kyle Melton and Josh Ashenbrenner to open the game before Brian Ward drove in the game's first run with a ground out to short that allowed Melton to score from third. The very next batter – Sean Halton – brought home Ashenbrenner with a double to right center before Kawaika Emsley-Pai struck out but reached base via a pass ball. On the play, Halton advanced to third and then came home with L-C State's final run of the frame when Corban's catcher over threw third base in an attempt to get the lead runner.

Neither team scored again until the top of the fourth inning when Lewis-Clark State struck for another three runs on three hits. The visiting Warriors first run came when Rene Escobar singled to right field before coming home on an Ashenbrenner single up the middle. Melton, who reached via a walk, scored L-C State's second run when Corban's center field attempted to throw him out at third and the throw sailed into the host Warriors' dugout. Lewis-Clark State's final run came home when Halton singled to left field, which allowed Ashenbrenner to score from third and handed L-C State an early 6-0 lead.

Corban got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning when senior Craig Spicer (Vancouver, Wash.) led off the frame with the host Warriors first hit of the afternoon – a single through the left side. Spicer advanced to second on Johnston's ground out to the third before junior Mitch Riddle (Pullman, Wash.), who came into the game in the top of the first due to an injury to sophomore Taylor Stiles (Santa Maria, Calif.), then registered a single through the left side that allowed Spicer to score from second. On the play, Riddle advanced to second on an attempted throw home to get Spicer and then moved up another 90 feet on a throwing error by L-C State's catcher. The very next batter – sophomore Kyle Taylor (Clackamas, Ore.) – brought junior pinch-runner Cameron Meier (Salem, Ore.) home with a ground out to short for the Warriors' final run that pulled Corban within four runs (6-2).

The score remained in favor of Lewis-Clark State until the top of the eighth inning when the visiting Warriors plated two more runs on a pair of hits. Ward brought home L-C State's first run with a sacrifice fly to right field that allowed Escobar to score, while Halton drove home Melton with a two-out double down the left field line to give LCSC a six-run lead (8-2).

Corban scored its third and final run in the bottom of the eighth when Spicer and Johnston registered back-to-back hits via a single through the left side and a double to right field. Following the host Warriors two straight hits, Riddle drove home his second RBI of the game via a ground out to first to cap the game's scoring.

Neither team scored in the ninth inning to give Lewis-Clark State the opener by the final score of 8-3.

Spicer and Riddle led Corban's offense with a pair of two-hit performances, while senior Jason Braun (Dallas, Ore.) went the opening 6.0 innings allowing six runs (three earned) on seven hits to go along with a game-high three strikeouts before turning the ball over to freshman reliever Mike McKay (Almira, Wash.) for the game's final three innings.

Lewis-Clark State was led offensively by Halton's three-hit, three-RBI performance, while Tom Peale went the opening 3.2 innings allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits before turning the ball over to Dustin Willis for the game's final 5.2 innings.

In the night cap, the game was a pitcher's dual until the bottom of the fourth inning when Johnston belted a two-out solo home run over the left center field wall to give Corban its first lead of the afternoon.

Unfortunately, the host Warriors lead would not last long because Lewis-Clark State took advantage of three hits in the top of the fifth inning en route to scoring four runs. The big hit came off the bat of Ben Ornelas, who cleared the bases with a one-out, three-run triple to right center before Halton doubled to left field to bring home Ornelas for the frame's final run and a three-run LCSC lead (4-1).

Lewis-Clark State extended its lead by another run in the top of the sixth inning when Melton brought home Trent Bridges, who had reached via a single to left field, on a sacrifice fly to left field to give the visiting Warriors a four-run lead (5-1).

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Corban pulled within three runs (5-2) when Johnston singled through the left side allowing junior Josh Warner (Independence, Ore.), who had registered a one-out walk, to score from second.

Clinging to a three-run lead, Lewis-Clark State capped the game's scoring in the top of the seventh inning when Kyle Cruikshank crushed a one-out grand slam over the left center field wall to give the visiting Warriors an insurmountable seven-run lead (9-2).

Over the final two-plus innings, Corban could only muster three hits and had a chance to cut into LCSC's lead in the eighth inning with the bases loaded and only one out. Unfortunately, the Warriors could not pull any closer as L-C State's reliever Henry Buenrostro struck out the side to end the threat.

Johnston and Spicer led the Warriors' bat-attack with a pair of two-hit performance, while senior Derek Stokes (Anchorage, Alaska) went the opening 7.0 innings allowing nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits before turning the ball over to freshman reliever Quinn Macnab (The Dalles, Ore.) for the final 2.0 innings.

Lewis-Clark State was led by Ornelas' 2-for-4 showing with two runs scored and three RBI, while Matt Stabelfeld went the opening 4.0 innings allowing one earned run on three hits before turning the ball over to a pair of relievers – Tyler Knigge and Buenrostro – for the game's final 5.0 innings.

With today's results, Corban falls to 9-17 overall versus Lewis-Clark State's 15-6 win-loss record. Both teams will return to the diamond on Friday, March 27th, for the finale of the three-game series beginning at 10:00 a.m. at Warrior Field.