BOX SCORE

SALEM, Ore. – In a make-up game from this weekend, Corban's baseball team pounded out a combined 11 hits that included multi-hit performances by senior Colby Sokol, senior Steven Blum, and sophomore Lance Foster in the Warriors' 5-3 win over cross town rival Willamette Monday at Volcanoes Stadium.

With the win, Corban improves to 8-2 on the season and Willamette falls to 2-8 so far this season.

At the plate, Sokol went a combined 3-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI, while Blum drove in three runs with a 2-for-4 showing to go along with Foster's 2-for-3 performance with a pair of runs scored. Four other Warriors – senior Cody Atkinson, sophomore Gregg Romero, freshman Marc Gallegos, and freshman Tyler Atkinson – also recorded a hit on the night, while sophomore Justin White earned his third victory of the season to go along with sophomore Ryan Rodriguez's team-high third save of the year.

Corban would get on the board early in the bottom of the first inning thanks to three straight hits by the younger Atkinson, Sokol, and a two-RBI double by Blum for a quick 2-0 lead for the host Warriors.

Willamette would answer with a single run in the top of the third inning, as Tyson Giza doubled home Brandon Chinn following his one-out double that cut Corban's lead in half (2-1).

In the bottom of the third inning, Corban put another two runs on the board when Romero roped a one-out single up the middle before coming around to score on an error by Willamette's second baseman. One batter later, Blum ripped a run-scoring single to center field that scored Foster, who reached on the aforementioned Bearcat error making the score 4-1 in favor of the home team.

After two scoreless innings, Willamette put another run on the board in the top of the sixth inning when Tiras Koon registered a run-scoring single to left field that scored Mitchell Rowan to pull the Bearcats within two runs (4-2).

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Corban put its final run of the game on the board thanks to a RBI single to center field by Sokol that plated Foster to put the Warriors up by three runs (5-2).

Willamette would score its third and final run of the game in the top of the eighth inning when Tosh Semlacher lifted a sacrifice fly to right field following a Warrior pitching change that scored Rowan to pull the Bearcats with two runs (5-3).

After holding Corban without a run in the bottom of the eighth inning, Willamette returned to the plate in the top of the ninth and loaded the bases with two outs only to have the game end on a pinch-hit strikeout.

Willamette was led offensively by Giza and Chinn with two hits each, while Tyler Olsen went the opening 4.0 innings on the hill allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits before turning the ball over to a pair of Bearcats relievers.

White would go the opening 5.1 innings for Corban allowing two earned runs on five hits with a game-high four strikeouts before senior Anthony Wirkkala went two innings before Rodriguez registered the final five outs for the victorious Warriors.

Corban will return to action on Friday, March 2nd, in the first of a four-game NAIA West series against the NAIA's No. 11-ranked Lewis-Clark State beginning at 6:00 p.m. at Harris Field in Lewiston, Idaho.