BOX SCORE

SALEM, Ore. – Juniors Steven Candelaria (Farmington, N.M.) and Tyler Lake (Medford, Ore.) each hit home runs against cross-town rival Willamette, but it was not enough as Corban's baseball team fell to the host Bearcats, 14-7, Tuesday afternoon at John Lewis Field.

With today's result, Corban falls to 6-11 overall and Willamette improves to 5-6 for the season.

Lake went 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of runs scored and three runs batted in, while sophomore Steven Blum (Salem, Ore.) was 3-for-5 with one RBI. Seven other Warriors – Candelaria, senior Josh Warner (Independence, Ore.), junior Trevor Winsor (Troutdale, Ore.), junior Nate Hiebert (Lebanon, Ore.), sophomore Jonathan Ramirez (New Britain, Conn.), freshman Craig Baker (Meridian, Idaho), and freshman Jake Balbas (Meridian, Idaho) – registered one hit each, while four pitchers appeared on the hill against the Bearcats.

Willamette would get on the board first via a three-run home run in the top of the first inning by Mitchell Rowan following a lead off walk with Doug Bloom and a Warrior error on Tim Schilf's hit.

Corban would tie the game at 3-all in the top of the second via a lead off home run over the left field wall by Candelaria before Lake brought home junior Taylor Wyatt (Dallas, Ore.) with a double down the right field line. Following a sacrifice bunt by Jake Balbas, Lake scored the Warriors' third run via a balk.

Willamette would then score five unanswered runs over the next four innings with the highlight coming off the bat of Bloom via his second home run of the game – a solo shot over the left field wall – in the bottom of the sixth inning that made the score 8-3 in favor of the host Bearcats.

The visiting Warriors would pull within three runs (8-5) following RBI hits by Winsor and Blum in the top of the seventh inning. Winsor would bring Hiebert home with an infield single to short following Hiebert's lead off single to left field. One batter later, Blum would plate Winsor with a single to right field allowing Corban's fifth run to come across the plate.

Willamette would get four more runs in the bottom of the seventh on three hits with Bloom collecting his lone RBI of the game via an infield single to second base for the host Bearcats' 12th run of the afternoon.

In the top of the eighth inning, Corban would get two more runs on Lake's first home run as a Warrior over the left center field wall that allowed Baker to score after he came off the bench to register a lead off double.

Tyson Giza would give Willamette a seven-run lead (14-7) with a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning that landed on the other side of the right center field wall for the game's final runs.

Rowan and Giza would lead Willamette's offensive attack with a pair of 2-for-4 performances that included two runs scored and four runs batted in each. Sky Kelley would register a team-high three hits with three runs scored, while three other Bearcats also recorded two hits on the afternoon.

Pitching-wise, Corban would send junior Luke Balbas (Boise, Idaho) to the hill for the opening 1.2 innings as he allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits. Balbas would turn the ball over to a trio of relievers that included junior Chris Trammell (Salem, Ore.), sophomore Quinn Macnab (The Dalles, Ore.), and freshman Caleb Virtue (Vancouver, Wash.). The reliever trio would combined to allow 11 runs (eight earned) on 13 hits, as Trammell suffered the loss allowing the go-ahead run to score in the bottom of the third inning.

Willamette would hand the ball to Jake Jones for the opening 4.0 innings, as he allowed three runs (all earned) on five hits before turning things over to a quartet of relievers. Brandon Simon would pick up his first collegiate victory in relief, as he pitched two scoreless innings and allowed only one hit.

Corban will return to the diamond on Friday, March 12th, in a NAIA West double header against Patten University beginning at 11:00 a.m. in Oakland, California.