BOX SCORE

McMINNVILLE, Ore. – In what would turn out to be a three-hour affair to end the 2010 Jim Doran Auto Classic, Corban's baseball team could not finish off its come-from-behind heroics falling to NCAA Division III member Pacific Lutheran, 12-11, Sunday night at Roy Helser Field.

With tonight's heart-breaking result, Corban falls to 6-5 overall and Pacific Lutheran continue is magical start at 9-1 overall this season.

Sophomore Steven Blum (Salem, Ore.) led the Warriors' bat-attack with a 4-for-5 performance that included his team-leading third home run of the season – a three-run bomb that knotted the game at 11-all in the seventh – and four runs batted in. Fellow sophomore Jonathan Ramirez (New Britain, Conn.) turned in a 3-for-5 showing, while three other Warriors – junior Trevor Winsor (Troutdale, Ore.), junior Kyle Taylor (Clackamas, Ore.), and freshman Craig Baker (Meridian, Idaho) – each registered two hits on the night.

Corban used five pitchers over the nine innings that included sophomore starter Tyler Doornink (Yakima, Wash.), who went the opening 3.1 innings allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits before turning the ball over to a quartet of relievers. Freshman Jake Balbas (Meridian, Idaho) would be the next-to-last Warrior pitcher of the night, as he went 2.2 innings allowing one earned run on two hits en route to suffering the tough loss.

The game would open as a barn-burner with both teams combining for 12 runs over the opening three innings, as Corban plated seven runs with the big hit coming off the bat of senior Josh Warner (Independence, Ore.) via a run-scoring double in the second inning.

Pacific Lutheran would tie the game in the top of the fourth inning (7-7) on a pair of run-scoring hits before taking the lead twice in the fifth (8-7) and sixth (11-8).

In Corban's half of the sixth inning, Warner led off being hit by a pitch before advancing to second on a failed pick off attempt. One batter later, Ramirez singled to right center putting runners on the corners with one out. The first-year Warrior would move up 90 feet on a wild pitch before Blum cranked a game-tying three-run home run over the left center field fence to knot things at 11-11.

Neither team would score in the next two innings before Pacific Lutheran got the game-winning RBI off the bat of Ryan Aratani via a single down the right field line with two outs in the top of the ninth inning.

After going two near perfect innings for Pacific Lutheran, Paul DiPietro was pulled in the bottom of the ninth inning in favor of Nic Delikat. The Lutes' closer had a scare to open the inning, as Corban freshman Marc Labarthe (Salem, Ore.) roped a ball to deep left field that PLU's Dan Johansen caught over his shoulder on a dead run towards the fence. After overcoming a definite double by the Warrior freshman, Delikat settled down a got a pair of strikeouts to end the game.

Pacific Lutheran was led offensively by Johansen's 4-for-5 performance with three runs batted in and three runs scored, while Sammy Davis and Carl Benton both registered three hits each in the game. DiPietro would pick up the win in relief for the Lutes, while Delikat earned the save going a near perfect ninth inning.

Corban will return to the field on Tuesday, March 2nd, in its final road game to open the season against NCAA Division III member Pacific University of Oregon beginning at 6:00 p.m. in Forest Grove.