BOX SCORE

MEDFORD, Ore. – In the 2010 season-opener, Corban's baseball team scored early but could not hold onto its lead as the Warriors fell to Oregon Tech, 5-2, Friday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field in the first of three games this weekend between the two teams.

With today's result, Corban opens at 0-1 while Oregon Tech improves to 2-4 after opening its season with a five-game road trip in Southern California.

Four different Warriors – senior Josh Warner (Independence, Ore.), junior Trevor Winsor (Troutdale, Ore.), junior Steven Candelaria (Farmington, N.M.), and sophomore Jonathan Ramirez (New Britain, Conn.) – all recorded hits, while Ramirez and Candelaria each drove home runs in the season-opening game.

In the first inning, Warner led off the game with a single down the left field line before advancing on Winsor's ground out to the pitcher. The very next batter – Ramirez – was called out at first when OIT's center fielder threw the runner out allowing Warner to score the game's opening run. After sophomore Steven Blum (Salem, Ore.) was hit by a pitch, Candelaria doubled scoring Blum from first to make the score 2-0 in favor of the visiting Warriors. Unfortunately that would be the last time that Corban would score, as Oregon Tech began its comeback in the bottom half of the inning.

Oregon Tech knotted things at 2-all in its opening at-bat when Kory Locken scored on a wild pitch before Colin Stock singled to bring home Trent Smith for the game-tying run.

In the bottom of the third inning, Oregon Tech scored three runs on a pair of hits with the highlight coming off the bat of Cory Staniforth via a double that scored both Cory Spires and Ryson Mauricio.

Over the next six innings, Oregon Tech held the visiting Warriors to a mere one hit via a single by Winsor in the sixth inning en route to picking up the victory.

Pitching-wise for Corban, freshman Jake Balbas (Meridian, Idaho) started the game and went the opening 4.0 innings allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits to go along with a team-leading three strikeouts. Sophomore Quinn Macnab (The Dalles, Ore.) and junior Kyle Lamson (Medford, Ore.) combined to pitch the final four innings, as Macnab went 3.2 innings allowing only one hit before Lamson got the final out for Corban.

Zack Earle led the host Owls with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, while Staniforth drove in a game-high two RBI for Oregon Tech. On the mound, Neil Emerson went the distance for the Owls allowing two runs (both earned) on four hits with a game-high nine strikeouts.

Both teams will return to the field tomorrow – Saturday, February 6th – for a mid-morning double header beginning at 11:00 a.m. at U.S. Cellular Field in Medford.