BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2

SALEM, Ore. – Senior Craig Spicer (Vancouver, Wash.) went a combined 3-for-7 and junior Josh Warner (Independence, Ore.) was 2-for-5 with one run scored and two runs batted in, but it was not enough as Corban's baseball team dropped a pair of games to conference rival Concordia, 5-2 & 2-1, Friday afternoon at Warrior Field.

In today's opener, neither team got on the scoreboard until the top of the fourth inning when Concordia put a pair of runs on the board via two hits. The Cavaliers' Jimmy Rudig led off the frame with a single through the right side before advancing to second on a ground out. The very next batter – Tommy Whalen – put Concordia on the board with a towering shot over the 390-foot sign in center field for his team-leading seventh home run of the season, which gave the visiting Cavaliers a two-run lead (2-0).

After tossing a no-hitter through four complete innings, Concordia's Ross Conway gave up an infield single to Corban junior Cameron Meier (Salem, Ore.) in the bottom of the fifth inning before getting an inning-ending ground out with runners on the first and third.

In the top of the seventh, CU's Whalen led off with his second four-bagger of the afternoon via a shot over the left field wall that put Concordia up 3-0 and push the sophomore catcher's total to eight dingers for the season. Five batters later, Mike Dickman came home with the Cavaliers' fourth run of the game after he reached via a fielding error by Corban's first baseman. Dickman's run came on a throwing error by the Warriors' third baseman, which put the visitors up 4-0 after six-and-a-half innings of play.

Trailing by four runs, Corban came to bat in the bottom of the seventh and scored two runs on one hit to cut the deficit in half (4-2). Sophomore Kyle Taylor (Clackamas, Ore.) opened the inning when he reached on a throwing error by Concordia's pitcher before advancing to second on the miscue. After moving to third on a sacrifice bunt, Taylor stayed 90 feet from home when fellow sophomore Trevor Winsor (Troutdale, Ore.) got on thanks to another Cavalier error. After a walk to Meier that loaded the bases, Warner singled through the right side to drive in both runs before ending the inning at second on a fielder's choice.

Concordia capped its scoring in the top of the eighth inning when Rudig registered a one-out single through the left side for his third hit of the afternoon. Two batters later, Ben Lanier looped a pop fly to shallow right center that fell between three Warriors allowing Rudig to score the Cavaliers' final run for the ending tally of 5-2.

In the night cap, Concordia's Brett Hawley had his stuff working through the opening six innings allowing no hits and facing the minimum number of Warriors.

Despite a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the second inning by Concordia's Chris Jamie and a RBI single up the middle by J.J. Berg in the third, Corban found itself still in the game with three outs remaining.

In the bottom of the seventh, Warner led off with a triple to left center that broke up Hawley's bid for a no-hitter. The very next batter – sophomore Nate Hiebert (Lebanon, Ore.) – brought Warner home with a sacrifice fly to center before Spicer roped a single through the left side that put the potential winning run at the plate in the form of senior Russ Johnston (Independence, Ore.). Unfortunately for the Warriors, Hawley got a game-ending double play that helped the visiting Cavs earn the sweep (2-1).

Besides Spicer and Warner's hitting performances, Meier was the only other Warrior to record a hit thanks to his infield single in the opener. Senior Jason Braun (Dallas, Ore.) went the opening 7.0 innings allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits in the opener to go along with six strikeouts before freshman Mike McKay (Almira, Wash.) pitched the game's final 2.0 innings allowing one earned run on two hits. In the finale, senior Derek Stokes (Anchorage, Alaska) pitched the opening 6.0 innings allowing two earned runs on five hits before sophomore Chris Trammell (Salem, Ore.) pitched a perfect final frame for the Warriors.

Offensively for Concordia, Rudig and Whalen each recorded four hits on the afternoon to go along with the pair of pitching performances by Conway and Hawley. Conway went the distance in the opener allowing two unearned runs on four hits, while Hawley allowed one earned run on two hits in the night cap to go along with a game-high seven strikeouts.

With today's results, Corban falls to 9-25 overall, 7-15 in NAIA West play. Meanwhile, Concordia improves to 15-24 overall, 10-16 in NAIA West action. Both teams will return to the diamond on Saturday, April 11th, in a series-ending double header beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Warrior Field in Salem.