BOX SCORE

PASCO, Wash. – Sophomore Ryan Rodriguez drove in the eventual game-winning run and then pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn the save, as Corban's baseball team opened the 2012 season with a 2-1 win over Puget Sound at the Swing Into Spring College Baseball Classic at Gesa Stadium.

With today's win, Corban begins at 1-0 and Puget Sound falls to 0-1 to start its season.

Despite trailing by a run heading into the eighth inning, the Warriors plated single runs in the eighth and ninth inning thanks to a wild pitch with the bases loaded and a sacrifice fly by Rodriguez that scored junior Jeremiah Forrister in Corban's final at-bat.

After earning the lead, Rodriguez pitched a perfect ninth inning shutting down the Loggers 1-2-3 for the Warriors' first season-opening win in two seasons.

Senior Colby Sokol, sophomore Lance Foster, and freshman Marc Gallegos all registered hits for the Warriors, while junior Jake Balbas went the opening 7.0 innings allowing one earned run on four hits to go along with a game-high five strikeouts. Sophomore Justin White would earn the victory allowing a hit in one inning of work before turning the ball over to Rodriguez for the final three outs.

After seven-and-a-half scoreless innings, Puget Sound final broke the drought with a single run in the bottom of the seventh inning when Jeff Walton led off the inning with a single before giving way to pinch runner Jake Boley. One batter later, Lucas Stone roped a RBI single to center field to bring home Boley to give UPS a one-run lead (1-0).

In the top of the eighth inning, the Warriors would load the bases with a pair of walks and a single before sophomore Gregg Romero tied the game (1-1) on a wild pitch.

One inning later, freshman Tyler Atkinson would lead off the inning being hit by a pitch before giving way to pinch runner Forrister. After sophomore Chris Gonzales drew a walk that advanced Forrister to second, both runners would move up 90 feet one batter later on a wild pitch. Rodriguez would then lift a fly ball into right field that was deep enough for Forrister to come home with the eventual game-winning run.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Rodriguez would get the opening batter to ground out before inducing the next hitter to pop out to Corban's right fielder in foul territory. Needing just a single out to secure the win, Puget Sound's final batter grounded out to short to end the game and give the Warriors a hard-fought 2-1 come-from-behind victory.

Puget Sound registered five hits on the afternoon from five different Loggers, while Walton went the opening 6.0 innings allowing a mere two hits with four K's before turning the ball over to Logan Day for 1.2 innings and Jarrod Beiser for 1.1 innings. Day would allow one earned run on one hit, while Beiser gave up the game-winning run en route to suffering the loss.

Corban will return to the diamond tomorrow – Saturday, February 11th – against tournament-host Whitworth beginning at 10:00 a.m. at Gesa Stadium in Pasco, Washington.