BOX SCORE

SALEM, Ore. – For the first time in two years, Corban's baseball team returned home to Warrior Field for a non-conference game against cross-town rival Willamette and had its "homecoming" spoiled thanks to a 13-8 loss to the Bearcats Tuesday.

After spending the past two years playing home games at numerous off-campus venues throughout the Willamette Valley, the Warriors were able to return "home" for the first time Tuesday to play in front of their own fans on-campus.

Unfortunately, the NCAA Division III Bearcats of Willamette scored eight runs over its final two at-bats to increase a one-run lead (6-5) to eight runs (13-5) and Corban could not muster enough offense to rally from the deficit in its final non-conference game of the season.

Willamette would take a two-run lead (2-0) after the first two innings thanks to a run-scoring double by Dylan Summers and a sacrifice fly by Roleen Himuro.

Corban would come back with a four-run bottom of the third inning, as freshman Logan Mordhorst led off the at-bat being hit by a pitch before advancing to second when junior Matt Hamlin drew a walk. Freshman Marc Gallegos would then drive home Mordhorst with a double to deep right center to put the Warriors on the board. Sophomore Gregg Romero would follow up Gallegos' double with a single to center field that scored Hamlin and knotted the game at 2-2. Senior Colby Sokol would then register Corban's third straight RBI hit via a single to right field that scored Gallegos for a 3-2 Warrior lead. A bunt single by senior Cody Atkinson would load the bases before senior Steven Blum lifted a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Romero for a two-run Corban lead (4-2).

Willamette would add three runs in the top of the fifth inning on a pair of wild pitches and a sacrifice fly by Hunter Gallant that gave the visiting Bearcats a lead that they would not relinquish (5-4).

Another run would go on the board for Willamette in the top of the sixth inning thanks to a RBI single up the middle by Summers for a 6-4 Bearcat lead before Corban pulled within a single run (6-5) in the bottom of the seventh inning thanks to a run-scoring single to left center by senior Steven Candelaria that scored junior Jeremiah Forrister.

Willamette would begin its seven-run, two at-bat performance with a four-run eighth inning for adding three more runs in the top of the ninth inning before Corban attempted a comeback in its final at-bat.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Forrister and Blum would leadoff with back-to-back singles before both runners advanced one base on a ground out. With two outs, junior Marc Labarthe beat out a dribbler down the third base line that scored Forrister before Hamlin ripped a two-run double to center field that scored both Blum and Labarthe for the final margin of five runs (13-8).

Four Warriors – Gallegos, Romero, Forrister, and Hamlin – registered two hits each, while Hamlin registered a pair of RBI on two doubles. Senior Mike McKay started for the Warriors allowing two earned runs on two hits in 4.0 innings of work before a quartet of Corban relievers made an appearance. Freshman Andy Thiessen, junior Caleb Virtue, junior David Hull, and freshman Bryce Watterud would combine to allow 11 runs (eight earned) on 11 hits in 5.0 innings of work. Thiessen would suffer his second loss of the season, as he gave up the go-ahead runs by Willamette.

Willamette was led offensively by Summers with a 3-for-5 performance that included a pair of runs scored and three runs batted in, while Himuro, Tiras Koon, and Gallant each collected two hits on the afternoon. The Bearcats' Zach Holcomb went the opening 3.0 innings allowing four earned runs on five hits before a quartet of relievers took the ball. Tyler Olson pitched the fifth and sixth innings allowing just two hits en route to picking up his third win of the year, while Henry Harrison, Parker Johnson, and Blake Evetts combined to pitch the final four innings allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits.

With today's result, Corban falls to 25-20 overall and Willamette improves to 12-22 on the season. The Warriors will close out the regular season this weekend against the NAIA's No. 21-ranked The College of Idaho starting Friday, April 27th, at 12:00 p.m. at a site still to be determined.