BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2

KEIZER, Ore. – In this weekend's opening NAIA West double header against the NAIA's No. 20-ranked British Columbia, Corban's baseball team was held to just two runs combined in a pair of losses, 4-2 & 10-0, Friday at Volcanoes Stadium.

With today's result, Corban falls to 9-7 overall and 1-5 in NAIA West play. Meanwhile, British Columbia improves to 12-5 overall and 5-1 in NAIA West games.

Junior Jake Balbas went 7.0 innings in Game #1 allowing just one earned run on six hits to go along with a game-high seven strikeouts, while freshman Logan Mordhorst broke up a T-Bird no-hitter with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning in the finale.

GAME #1 – BRITISH COLUMBIA 4, CORBAN 2

In the opener, Corban took a two-runs lead (2-0) in the bottom of the third inning when sophomore Kris Gokey drew a leadoff walk before being replaced by junior pinch-runner Andy Hill. After a sacrifice bunt that moved Hill to second, freshman Marc Gallegos singled through the right side allowing Hill to move to third. During the next at-bat, Gallegos stole second with the throw getting away from UBC's defense allowing Hill to come home for the game's first run. One batter later, senior Colby Sokol singled to center field to bring home Gallegos with the Warriors' final run of the game.

British Columbia would put three runs on the board in the top of the fifth inning when Sebastian Wong led off with a single to left field before moving to second on an attempted pick off that got away from Corban's defense. Wong would move up 90 feet on a wild pitch before coming home on a sacrifice fly by Andrew Firth for the T-Birds' first run that cut the Warriors' lead in half (2-1). One batter later, Kevin Biro would tie the game at 2-2 coming home to score on a wild pitch before Blake Carruthers roped a double down the right field line that allowed Matt Spillman to score the eventual game-winning run (3-2).

Over the next three innings, the two teams would combined to register four hits with British Columbia tacking on its final run of the game in the top of the ninth inning. Pinch-hitter Ryan Taylor would open the T-Birds' at-bat with a single to center field before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt and coming home on a Firth single up the middle for the final tally of 4-2.

Balbas would go the opening seven innings for Corban before sophomore Ryan Rodriguez pitched the final two innings allowing one earned run on two hits.

UBC was led offensively by Wong with a 3-for-4 performance, while Firth drove in a game-high two runs. Tavis Bruce would go the opening 7.0 innings for the Thunderbirds allowing two unearned runs on seven hits before giving way to Conor Lillis-White for the final two innings. Bruce would earn his second victory of the season thanks to a team-high three strikeouts, while Lillis-White pitched a near perfect two innings en route to earning his team-high third save of the year.

GAME #2 – BRITISH COLUMBIA 10, CORBAN 0

In the finale, UBC's starting pitcher David Otterman controlled the game going 6.2 innings without allowing a hit to go along with a game-high 11 strikeouts en route to picking up his fourth win of the season.

Corban was held without a hit until the Warriors' final out when Mordhorst ripped a single up the middle that eluded a diving UBC second baseman to break up the Thunderbirds bid for a no-hitter.

British Columbia reliever Matt Trimble would help keep the shutout allowing just the one hit, while striking out four Warrior hitters.

UBC would put three runs on the board in the first inning before tacking another three runs on the fourth and seventh inning, while putting a single run up in the fifth inning.

Senior Tyler Doornink went the opening 3.2 innings for Corban allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits before a quartet of Warrior relievers – freshman Jordan Johansen, junior David Hull, and senior Mike McKay – allowed four runs (two earned) on nine hits over the final 4.1 innings.

Carruthers led UBC's offense with a 4-for-5 performance with three runs batted in, while Nick Senior added a 3-for-4 showing.

These same two teams will close out this weekend's four-game NAIA West series tomorrow – Saturday, March 10th – with a late-morning double header beginning at 11:00 a.m. at Joe Brock Field on the campus of Stayton High School.