BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2 | GAME #3

OAKLAND, Calif. – Junior Luke Balbas (Boise, Idaho) belted his first career home run and went a combined 5-for-10 at the plate with four runs scored and two runs batted in, but it was not enough as Corban's baseball team dropped three games to fellow NAIA West member Patten Saturday at Del Mar High School.

After the end of a long weekend for the Warriors that resulted in scores of 13-8, 10-6, & 7-4, Corban is now 6-14 overall and 0-7 in NAIA West play. Meanwhile, Patten improves to 5-16 overall and 3-4 in NAIA West action.

Balbas was aided offensively by senior Josh Warner (Independence, Ore.) and junior Tyler Lake (Medford, Ore.). Warner went a combined 5-for-10 with two runs scored and two runs batted in, while Lake was 5-for-9 at the plate with one run scored and three RBI. Four Warriors – Balbas, junior Trevor Winsor (Troutdale, Ore.), junior Kyle Taylor (Clackamas, Ore.), and sophomore Jonathan Ramirez (New Britain, Conn.) – all belted home runs for Corban over the three games, as Taylor joined Balbas with his first career long ball as a Warrior.

GAME #1 – PATTEN 13, CORBAN 8

After allowing Patten to score four runs over the opening two innings, Corban got one run back in the top of the second on Balbas' first career home run as a Warrior before exploding for five runs in the top of the third.

Warner began things in the third inning with a one out single to left center before Winsor belted his team-high tying third home run of the season over the center field fence to pull Corban within one run (4-3). Balbas would then drive in his second RBI of the game via an infield single that scored Taylor. The very next batter – Lake – singled to center field allowing junior Steven Candelaria (Farmington, N.M.) to score before freshman Marc Labarthe (Salem, Ore.) singled to left field bringing home Balbas for a 6-4 Warrior lead.

Unfortunately, Corban's lead would not last very long as Patten plated four runs in the bottom of the third with the highlight coming off the bat of Zach Plancich via a two-run home run over the center field fence for an 8-6 Lion lead.

Patten would score five more runs compared to Corban's two, as Labarthe registered a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning before Lake brought home the visiting Warriors' final run in the top of the seventh inning via a single to center field for the final tally of 13-8.

Freshman Craig Baker (Meridian, Idaho) went the opening 2.1 innings allowing eight runs (seven earned) on six hits en route to suffering the loss before turning the ball over to a duo of relievers – fellow freshman Jake Balbas (Meridian, Idaho) and junior Chris Trammell (Salem, Ore.).

Patten was led offensively by David Whiteside, who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two runs batted in. On the mound, Dakota Hatch picked up the win going the opening 5.0 innings and allowing seven runs (four earned) on seven hits.

GAME #2 – PATTEN 10, CORBAN 6

In the second game, Corban would take an early four-run lead thanks to three runs in the second inning and another solo run in the fourth inning.

The Warriors' second inning featured a sacrifice fly by Lake, a RBI double to right field by senior Mitch Riddle (Pullman, Wash.), and a run-scoring single through the left side by Warner for an early 3-0 lead.

In the fourth inning, Warner drove in his second RBI via a single up the middle that brought home freshman Kyle Kunkel (Bremerton, Wash.) from second for a 4-0 Warrior lead.

Patten would then plate nine unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth innings, as Jermaine Collins and Michael Nunez hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth to begin the damage. When everything had settled, the host Lions had a five-run lead (9-4).

Corban would score two more runs in the game, as sophomore Steven Blum (Salem, Ore.) registered a RBI on a ground out in the sixth inning before Ramirez belted his second home run of the season to lead off the seventh for the final score of 10-6.

Freshman Jacob Kopra (Gresham, Ore.) would suffer the loss, as he went the opening 4.0 innings for Corban allowing nine runs (six earned) on 10 hits before turning the ball over to junior Nate Hiebert (Lebanon, Ore.) for the game's final 2.0 innings.

Collins led the Lions' bat-attack with a 3-for-4 performance that included two runs scored and four runs batted in, while Phillip Gonzales pitched the opening 5.0 innings for Patten allowing five earned runs on nine hits en route to picking up the win.

GAME #3 – PATTEN 7, CORBAN 4 (5 INNINGS)

In the finale, Corban scored first when Warner came home on a dropped fly ball by Patten's third baseman to take an early 1-0 lead.

For the third straight game, Corban's lead would not last for very long thanks to Patten's seven unanswered runs over the next three innings that included a six-run second inning. The Lions got a pair of two-runs hits from Luke Heil and Stephen Rivera before Collins and Rivera came home on a numerous Warrior miscues in the second inning for a 6-1 Lion lead.

In the top of the fourth, Taylor would get Corban back on the board with his first career home run to lead off the frame before Baker would come home with the Warriors' third run on a Lion error.

The fifth and final inning would see Corban put one more run on the board when Lake scored on a wild pitch, but it would not be enough as Patten's defense would shut down the Warriors' come back for the final score of 7-4.

Winsor would go the distance for Corban allowing seven runs (two earned) on five hits to go along with a game-high six strikeouts.

Meanwhile, Patten was led by Rivera with a 1-for-2 performance at the plate that included one run scored and two runs batted in. Nunez went the distance for the Lions allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits en route to picking up the victory.

Corban will return to the diamond on Wednesday, March 17th, against NCAA Division III member George Fox beginning at 3:00 p.m. on Morse Field in Newberg.