BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2

KEIZER, Ore. – Playing for the first time this season at home, Corban's baseball team could not overcome three four-run innings by the NAIA's No. 13-ranked Thunderbirds of British Columbia and fell in back-to-back games, 8-3 & 9-2, Friday afternoon at Volcanoes Stadium.

Having to play away from Warrior Field due to unplayable field conditions, Corban started its home schedule with a pair of tough losses falling to 6-8 overall and 0-2 in NAIA West play. Meanwhile, British Columbia pushes its winning streak to 11 games en route to improving to 12-1 overall and 6-0 in NAIA West play.

Junior Kyle Taylor (Clackamas, Ore.) extended his season-high hitting streak to nine games with a combined 2-for-5 performance that included two runs scored and one run batted in. Meanwhile, junior Steven Candelaria (Farmington, N.M.) registered three hits in six plate appearances that included two runs scored.

On the hill, junior Trevor Winsor (Troutdale, Ore.) started Game #1 going 8.2 innings and allowed eight runs (all earned) on 10 hits to go along with a pair of strikeouts before turning the ball over to freshman David Hull (Kelso, Wash.) for the final out. In the finale, freshman Jake Balbas (Meridian, Idaho) started and went 3.1 innings allowing nine runs (eight earned) on five hits before giving way to a trio of relievers that included junior Kyle Lamson (Medford, Ore.), junior Chris Trammell (Salem, Ore.), Hull, and sophomore Mike McKay (Almira, Wash.).

GAME #1 – BRITISH COLUMBIA 8, CORBAN 3

In today's opener, British Columbia got on the board first with three unanswered runs in the second and third inning with the highlight coming off the bat of Nic Lendvoy via a two-run single to center field that scored Keaton Briscoe and Nic Lindsay for a 3-0 Thunderbird lead.

Corban would get onto the board in the bottom of the fifth inning when Candelaria and Taylor led off with back-to-back singles, as Taylor's hit down the right field line advanced Candelaria to third base. During the Warriors' next batter, both runners moved up on a pass ball that allowed Candelaria to score Corban's first run. Two batters later, freshman Marc Labarthe (Salem, Ore.) brought home the Warriors' second run on a bunt when UBC's pitcher attempted to record the out but could not beat the sliding Taylor that made the score 3-2 in favor of the visiting T-birds.

In the top of the sixth inning, British Columbia put another run on the board when Blake Carruthers singled home Lendvoy via a single past a diving Warrior third baseman for the visiting Thunderbirds' fourth run of the game.

Corban would pull to within a single run (4-3) in the bottom of the sixth inning when junior Nate Hiebert (Lebanon, Ore.) led off with a double down the left field line. One batter later, sophomore Steven Blum (Salem, Ore.) registered his team-leading 17th RBI via a single through the left side that brought Hiebert home.

Neither team would score until the top of the ninth inning when British Columbia plated four runs on three hits that included a three-run double to right field by Sammie Starr. The game's final run would come off the bat of Lendvoy via a RBI single to right field that brought Starr home for the final score of 8-3.

British Columbia was led by Lendvoy's 3-for-5 performance that included three runs batted in and one run scored. UBC's Mark Hardy would go the opening 7.0 innings allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits to go along with a game-high five strikeouts before giving way to Shawn Hetherington for the final 2.0 innings.

GAME #2 – BRITISH COLUMBIA 9, CORBAN 2

The night cap would begin with a pair of Warrior fielding errors that led to a Thunderbird run off the bat of Lendvoy via a ground out to first.

In the top of the third inning, British Columbia would put four more runs on the board on a run-scoring single down the left field line by Briscoe before Mike Elias hit a towering three-run home run over the left field fence for a 5-0 Thunderbird lead.

One inning later, British Columbia would extend its lead to 9-0 on a Briscoe grand slam over the right field fence that was a no-doubt home run off the crack of the bat.

Corban would plates its two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning when Canderlaria broke up UBC's no-hitter with a lead off double down the left field line before Taylor extended his hitting streak with a RBI single up the middle. Two batters later, senior Mitch Riddle (Pullman, Wash.) singled up the middle allowing Taylor to score the host Warriors' second and final run of the afternoon.

Offensively, British Columbia was led by Briscoe's 3-for-4 performance that included three runs scored and a game-high five runs batted in. The visiting T-birds' Eric Brown would go the opening 6.0 innings allowing two earned runs on four hits to go along with four strikeouts. Miles Verweel would pitch the final inning for British Columbia, as he struck out four batters in a near-perfect outing.

Both teams will return to the lovely confines of Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer to conclude their four-game series tomorrow – Saturday, March 6th – in a double header that is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m.