BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2

KEIZER, Ore. – In the next-to-last double header of the regular season, Corban's baseball team guaranteed a winning season no matter what happens in the playoffs thanks to a split with the NAIA's No. 21-ranked Coyotes of The College of Idaho, 12-7 & 4-13, Friday at Volcanoes Stadium.

With today's results, Corban moves to 26-21 overall and 14-15 in NAIA West play. Meanwhile, The College of Idaho, who wrapped up the NAIA West Tournament's No. 1-seed thanks to a loss by British Columbia against Patten on Friday, moves to 36-14 overall and 21-9 in NAIA West games.

Senior Steven Blum went a combined 3-for-8 at the plate Friday with two home runs with four runs scored and six runs batted in, while fellow senior Colby Sokol was 5-for-9 with two runs scored and three RBI. Sophomore Gregg Romero turned in a combined four-hit effort, while three other Warriors – senior Steven Candelaria, sophomore Kris Gokey, and freshman Tyler Atkinson – each had two hits on the afternoon.

GAME #1 – CORBAN 12, COLLEGE OF IDAHO 7

In the opener, The College of Idaho put the first two runs on the board in the top of the third inning when Zachery Fabricius led off with a solo home run over the right field wall before Izaac Garsez ripped a run-scoring single down the left field line for a 2-0 Coyote lead.

Corban would come back with authority in the bottom of the third inning when freshman Marc Gallegos drew a one out walk before back-to-back singles by Romero and Sokol loaded the bases for Blum. The senior outfielder would then crush a grand slam over the left field wall for a 4-2 Warrior lead that the home team would never relinquish.

The College of Idaho would add its third run in the top of the sixth inning when Garsez drove in his second run of the game on a double to center field that scored Tyler Andazola following his leadoff single to third base to pull the Coyotes within a single run (4-3).

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Corban would explode for six runs on five hits with Sokol, Atkinson, and Candelaria all registering a RBI that also included three unearned runs on back-to-back C of I errors. Once all the dust had settled, the host Warriors had a seven-run lead (10-3).

Corban would add two more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning when senior Cody Atkinson doubled to right field to bring home Romero and Blum ripped a run-scoring double down the right field line that scored freshman pinch-runner Jake Kunkel for the Warriors' final run of the game extending Corban's lead to nine runs (12-3).

Fortunately for the Warriors those extra runs came across the plate, as The College of Idaho used a three-run home run to left field by Brett Ward and a solo shot by Andazola in the top of the ninth inning to pull within five runs (12-7). Thankfully both long balls came with two outs, as sophomore closer Ryan Rodriguez came into the game and shut down preseason All-American Garsez to end the game giving the Warriors its 10th win ever against C of I.

Corban was led offensively by Sokol with a 4-for-5 performance that went along with Blum's five-RBI showing, while sophomore Justin White set the program's single-season wins record earning his eighth victory of the season allowing three earned runs on six hits in 5.2 innings of work before a pair of Warrior relievers – freshman Jordan Johansen and Rodriguez – took over on the mound. Johansen would allow four earned runs on four hits before Rodriguez got the game's final out to preserve the victory.

The College of Idaho saw a pair of three-hit efforts by Andazola and Garsez, while Chad Yeggy suffered his first loss of the season allowing four earned runs on eight hits in 6.0 innings of work before Michael Garza and Parker Vernon combined to allow eight runs (five earned) on seven hits over the final two innings of work.

GAME #2 – COLLEGE OF IDAHO 13, CORBAN 4

The finale would be a back-and-forth affair over the opening five inning with both teams scoring two runs, as C of I put two on the board in the first inning via a RBI by Tanner Hodges before he scored before the third out was recorded in a run-down. Corban would pull within a single run (2-1) in the bottom of the first inning on a double to right center by Sokol before Candelaria scored on a balk in the second inning to tie the score at 2-2.

Following a pitching change by Corban in the top of the sixth inning, The College of Idaho put eight unanswered runs on the board in the top of the fourth and fifth innings with the highlight coming off the bat of Jesse Dodd via his first collegiate home run – a three-run blast over the left field wall. The Coyotes would put five more runs up, as C of I held a six-run lead (8-2) after seven innings of play.

Hodges would drive in another C of I run in the top of the eighth inning via a single to right field, while Corban add a RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning by junior Matt Hamlin before getting a solo home run off the bat of Blum in the bottom of the eighth inning to pull within six runs (10-4).

The College of Idaho would put the game's final two runs on the board in the top of the ninth inning, as Garsez collected his fifth hit of the game via a run-scoring single up the middle before Hodges drove in his fourth run of the contest via a sacrifice fly to left field that put the Coyotes up by eight runs (12-4).

Romero was the only Warrior to register more than one hit, while junior Jacob Kopra went the opening 5.0 innings allowing two earned runs on five hits before a trio of Warrior relievers – junior Caleb Virtue, junior David Hull, and freshman Bryce Watterud – combined to allow 11 runs (five earned) on 14 hits. Virtue would suffered his second loss of the season, as he allowed the go-ahead runs in the sixth inning by C of I.

Garsez led C of I's offense with a 5-for-6 showing that included three runs scored and three doubles, while Taylor Nicholson picked up his seventh win of the season versus just one loss allowing three earned runs on seven hits in 7.0 innings of work before Garza went the final 2.0 innings allowing one earned run on one hit.

These same two teams will close out the regular season tomorrow – Saturday, April 28th – with a late-morning double header beginning at 11:00 a.m. at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer. Approximately 30 minutes prior to the opening pitch, Corban will honor seven seniors that will be stepping onto the field for the final time during the regular season wearing a Warrior uniform.