BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2

KEIZER, Ore. – Late inning heroics resulted in back-to-back losses Saturday at Volcanoes Stadium, as Corban's baseball team watched the NAIA's No. 13-ranked British Columbia plate a combined eight runs its the final three at-bats to wrap up the four-game series between the two North Division opponents.

Once the final out was recorded and the scores were in favor of UBC, 7-1 & 4-3, Corban finds itself at 6-10 overall and 0-4 in NAIA West play. Meanwhile, British Columbia pushes its winning streak to 13 straight games improving to 14-1 overall and 8-0 in NAIA West action.

Sophomore Jonathan Ramirez (New Britain, Conn.) went a combined 4-for-6 with one run scored, while junior Trevor Winsor (Troutdale, Ore.) was a combined 4-for-8 at the plate and fellow junior Luke Balbas (Boise, Idaho) turned in a perfect 3-for-3 showing in Game #2.

Freshman Jacob Kopra (Gresham, Ore.) held the nationally-ranked Thunderbirds without a run over 7.0 innings in the opener allowing seven hits to go along with two strikeouts. Unfortunately, Corban's bullpen could not hold the lead as sophomore Tyler Doornink (Yakima, Wash.) allowed four runs (all earned) on four hits in 1.0 innings of work en route to suffering the tough loss. Junior Nate Hiebert (Lebanon, Ore.) would pitch the final frame allowing three runs (all earned) on four hits.

In the night cap, freshman Craig Baker (Meridian, Idaho) would go the opening 6.2 innings allowing four runs (all earned) on nine hits to go along with two strikeouts before sophomore Quinn Macnab (The Dalles, Ore.) got the final out via a fielder's choice.

GAME #1 – BRITISH COLUMBIA 7, CORBAN 1

The opening game on Saturday would began as a pitcher's dual with neither team scoring until the bottom of the fourth inning when Corban got a lead off single up the middle by Ramirez before he advanced to second on a balk by UBC's pitcher. One batter later, junior Kyle Taylor (Clackamas, Ore.) would extend his season-high hitting streak to 10 games with an infield single that allowed Ramirez to advance to third with one out. During the Warriors' following at-bat, Ramirez would come home on a wild pitch that allowed Taylor to advance all the way to third base. Clinging to a slim one-run lead (1-0), Corban could not get any more runs home as British Columbia's would get a strikeout and ground out to end the Warriors' scoring threat.

The game would remain close until the top of the eighth inning when British Columbia tied things on a run-scoring single through the left side by Alex White that scored Mike Elias following a lead off walk. UBC's Bob Foerster would give the visiting T-birds the lead for good via a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Blake Carruthers after he doubled down the left field line. British Columbia's final two runs of the inning would come off the bat of Keaton Briscoe via a two-run double down the left field line that brought home both Sean Pisarski and White for a 4-1 UBC lead.

British Columbia would close the game's scoring in the top of the ninth inning when Carruthers belted a three-run home run over the left field fence after Nic Lendvoy recorded a lead off double followed by Elias's single to right field. UBC would hold a six-run lead (7-1) with only one Warrior at-bat remaining.

Corban would muster a one-out single through the left side by Baker, but could not overcome UBC's late inning heroics as the host Warriors dropped its fourth straight game.

British Columbia was led offensively by Carruthers' perfect 4-for-4 performance that included two runs scored and three runs batted in. Meanwhile, Brandon Kaye would go the opening 6.0 innings allowing one earned run on seven hits to go along with four strikeouts. UBC's Dan Britton-Foster would close out the game going the final 2.0 innings allowing no runs on two hits en route to picking up the win in relief.

GAME #2 – BRITISH COLUMBIA 4, CORBAN 3

The finale would open with British Columbia scoring two runs in the first inning on a Lendvoy home run over the right center field fence following Briscoe's lead off infield single for the early 2-0 lead.

Corban would pull to within a single run (2-1) in the bottom of the third inning when Winsor registered a run-scoring single through the left side that scored Hiebert following a lead off single to left field. After Hiebert's single, senior Josh Warner (Independence, Ore.) laid down a perfect bunt one batter later that caught UBC's defense sleeping to put runners on the corners with one out to set up Winsor's RBI. Unfortunately, Corban could not plate any more runs in its at-bat and trailed by one run after three complete innings of play.

British Columbia would regain its two-run lead (3-1) in the top of the fourth inning when Steve Bone singled through the left side allowing White to score the visiting Thunderbirds' third run of the game.

Neither team would score again until the bottom of the sixth inning when Corban brought home a pair of runs to tie the game at 3-3. Taylor would lead off with a walk before Balbas registered an infield single that put runners at first and second with no outs. Junior Tyler Lake (Medford, Ore.) would then advance both runners with a perfectly placed bunt before Hiebert singled through the left side allowing both Taylor and Balbas to score the Warriors' second and third run of the game.

In the top of the seventh inning, British Columbia would get a two-out double to right field by Sammie Starr before Lendvoy drove home the eventual game-winning run on a RBI single to right center for the 4-3 lead in favor of the visiting T-birds.

Corban would get a lead off single to left field by Winsor in the bottom of the seventh before he advanced to second on a Ramirez sacrifice bunt. Unfortunately, the host Warriors could not capitalize on Winsor's lead off hit as British Columbia's pitching and defense would step up and secure the one-run victory (4-3) for the visiting team.

British Columbia was led offensively by Starr and Lendvoy, who turned in a pair of 2-for-4 performances as both players scored a run and Lendvoy drove in three. Pitching-wise, UBC's Sheldon McDonald would go the opening 5.0 innings allowing one earned run on seven hits to go along with a game-high four strikeouts. Reliever Taylor King would pitch the final 2.0 innings allowing two earned runs on three hits en route to picking up the win out of UBC's bullpen.

Corban will return to the diamond on Tuesday, March 9th, against cross town rival and NCAA Division III member Willamette beginning at 2:00 p.m. at "Spec" Keene Stadium in Salem.