BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2

KEIZER, Ore. – Playing under the lights of Volcanoes Stadium on a night that began on Friday and ended in the wee hours of Saturday morning, Corban's baseball team earned a double header split with Oregon Tech, 10-7 & 1-2, in a pair of crucial NAIA West games.

With the split, Corban moves to 14-10 overall and 5-8 in NAIA West play. Meanwhile, Oregon Tech pushes its record to 11-15 overall and 5-5 in NAIA West games.

Senior Cody Atkinson led the Warriors' offensive attack with a four-hit performance that included a perfect 3-for-3 in the finale, while freshman Marc Gallegos collected a combined three hits over the two games. Senior Colby Sokol and sophomore Kris Gokey collected a pair of RBI each, while Gallegos scored three runs on the night.

GAME #1 – CORBAN 10, OREGON TECH 7

In the opener, Corban would get on the board early with three runs in the bottom of the first inning when Gallegos, sophomore Gregg Romero, and Sokol registered three straight hits that included a run-scoring double to right field by Sokol that put the first run on the board. Atkinson would drive in Corban's second run on a ground out before Sokol came home on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Lance Foster that made the score 3-0 in favor of the home team.

Corban would add another run in bottom of the third inning on a run-scoring single to right field by Romero that allowed Gallegos to score from third following his leadoff single and stolen base. After Gallegos advanced to third on a throwing error by OIT's catcher, Romero drove in the Warriors' fourth run for a 4-0 lead.

Oregon Tech would finally get on the board in the top of the fourth inning on a double down the right field line by Alex Reynolds before back-to-back bases loaded walks gave the Hustlin' Owls another two runs to pull OIT within a single run (4-3). A single by Dylan Rogers along with a Warrior fielding error would put Oregon Tech up by a single run (5-4) before Zack Earle plated the Owls' final run of the inning on a RBI single to left field following a Corban pitching change giving OIT a two-run lead (6-4).

Corban wasted no time in regaining the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, as the Warriors scored three runs when Gokey ripped a run-scoring single to center field that eluded OIT's outfielder for a two-base error that allowed sophomore Ryan Rodriguez to score tying the game at 6-all. On the error, Gokey advanced to third before coming home to score during the next at-bat on a wild pitch for Corban's seventh run of the game giving the Warriors a one-run advantage (7-6).

The host Warriors would add two more runs on the bottom of the seventh inning, as Rodriguez lifted a sacrifice fly to left field that allowed junior pinch-runner Jeremiah Forrister to score after he replaced Atkinson on the base path following his one-out double. A run-scoring single to left center by Gokey would plate the Warriors' ninth run, as Foster scored from second for a 9-6 Corban lead.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Corban added its 10th and final run on a sacrifice fly to left field by Sokol that allowed Gallegos to score from third after he reached base on a OIT error to lead off the inning,

Oregon Tech would add its seventh and final run in the top of the ninth inning when Earle led off with a double before advancing to third on a wild pitch and coming home on a double to right center by Brad Walters for the final margin of 10-7.

Four Warriors – Gallegos, Romero, Foster, and Gokey – each collected two hits for Corban, while junior Jake Balbas went the opening 3.1 innings allowing six runs (five earned) on five hits before freshman Jordan Johansen came in for three innings of relief allowing three hits en route to picking up his first collegiate victory. Rodriguez would pitch the final 2.2 innings allowing one earned run on three hits to pick up his team-leading fourth save of the season.

For Oregon Tech, Earle went 3-for-5 with a run scored and one RBI to go along with a pair of hits by Walters and Kevin Shulemson. OIT's Aaron Jorgenson went the opening 6.1 innings allowing eight runs (four earned) on 10 hits before Codey Barrett finished the game pitching the final 2.1 innings allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit.

GAME #2 – OREGON TECH 2, CORBAN 1

The finale would turn out to be a pitching duel, as Oregon Tech scored a single run in its opening at-bat when Kory Locken was hit by a pitch to start the game before stealing second and coming home on a run-scoring single to right center by Ryan Hayden for an early 1-0 Owl lead.

Corban had a golden opportunity to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. After a one-out single up the middle by Atkinson, junior pinch-runner Kyle Kunkel would take over on the base paths. After stealing second one batter later, Kunkel would advance to third on an infield single by senior Steven Blum before attempting to score on a wild throw by OIT's shortstop only to be gunned down at home to end the inning when the ball did not get too far away from the Owls' first baseman.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Corban would finally get on the board when junior Andy Hill registered a two-out single up the middle before coming around to score on a double to left center by Gallegos that knotted the score at 1-1.

Oregon Tech would get its run back in the top of the eighth inning when Earle led off with single through the left side before advancing to second on a walk by Dustin Norman. After a bunt pop out by OIT, Reynolds grounded into a potential double play but an errant throw by Corban would allow Earle to score the eventual game-winning run for a 2-1 Oregon Tech lead.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Corban would load the bases with two outs before Oregon Tech's defense got an inning-ending ground out to preserve the lead.

Three straight outs by Oregon Tech would give Corban one final chance, but OIT's defense would step up to the challenge shutting down the Warriors' offense 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning for the hard-fought one-run victory (2-1).

Atkinson's aforementioned perfect showing at the plate would lead Corban, while sophomore Justin White went the distance allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits with a game-high nine strikeouts. White would suffer the heart-breaking loss despite throwing a season and career-high 161 pitches.

Oregon Tech was led offensively by Locken and Rogers with two hits each, while Brandon Allen went the opening 7.1 innings allowing one earned run on seven hits to pick up the win before turning the ball over to Craig Kathol for the final 1.2 innings en route to picking up the save.

These same two teams will meet in the final two games of this weekend's four-game series tomorrow – Saturday, March 24th – in an evening double header beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer.