BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2

CALDWELL, Idaho – In its final two games of the weekend, Corban's baseball team battled to a split against The College of Idaho, 4-6 & 9-8, behind a combined 5-for-9 performance at the plate by sophomore Marc Gallegos Saturday at Wolfe Field.

Corban (12-8, 4-4 NAIA West) got multiple hit performances from Gallegos, senior Derek Legg, senior Jeremiah Forrister, junior Lance Foster, junior Peter Martin, junior Gregg Romero, and sophomore Jordan Johansen. Gallegos and freshman Steven Kha would drive in multiple runs, while five other Warriors – Legg, Forrister, senior Alex Bost, and Romero – also registered run-scoring hits.

On the mound, senior Jacob Kopra went the distance in the opener allowing six runs (three earned) on eight hits with one strikeout. In the finale, freshman Daniel Gober went the opening 5.0 innings allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits with a game-high five K's en route to picking up his second win of the season. Senior Caleb Virtue would pitch 3.0 innings in Game #2 allowing one earned run on two hits before freshman Ransom Storm got the final three outs despite allowing five earned runs on four hits.

The College of Idaho was led offensively by Jarel Lewis and reigning NAIA West Player of the Week Jesse Dodd with a combined five hits each, while Parker Vernon went the distance in the opener for the Coyotes allowing four earned runs on seven hits with a game-high five strikeouts. In Game #2, Tanner Lupton would get the start allowing seven earned runs on 11 hits in 4.2 innings of work before turning the ball over to a trio of relievers – Brady Winfield, Joel Martin, and George Casper – for the final 4.1 innings combined, as they allowed a combined two earned runs on seven hits.

GAME #1 – COLLEGE OF IDAHO 6, CORBAN 4

In Saturday's opener, The College of Idaho would get on the board first with two runs in the bottom of the first inning that began with Dodd reached base on a dropped fly ball by Corban that allowed Lewis to score before Jake Hennessey doubled to left center allowing Dodd to score for a 2-0 lead for the home team.

Corban would cut its deficit in half (2-1) in the top of the second inning when Legg led off with a triple to right field before coming home on a ground out by Kha that put the Warriors on the board.

C of I would regain its two-run lead (3-1) in the bottom of the second inning when Sam Johnston led off by reaching on a fielding error by Corban before coming around to score two batters later when Nick Muncy reached safely on another Warrior error.

Neither team would score again until the top of the fifth inning when Corban added its second run of the game on a single up the middle by freshman Landon Frost that scored Foster after he registered a two-out double one batter earlier to bring the Warriors within a single run (3-2) for the second time in the game.

The College of Idaho would answer with three runs of its own in the bottom of the fifth inning en route to gaining a four-run advantage (6-2), as Lewis singled through the left side to score Muncy before a Dodd triple would plate Lewis, and a sacrifice fly by Hennessey scored the Coyotes' final run of the game.

In the top of the sixth inning, Corban would answer back with two more runs thanks to a run-scoring single through the right side by Legg that scored Romero following his lead off double to right center. Kha would then step to the plate and brought home Gallegos on a fielder's choice that registered the inning's second out, but made the score 6-4 in favor of the home team.

Over the final three-plus innings, each team would register just one hit as The College of Idaho took the opener by two runs.

Legg and Gallegos would register two hits each in the opener, while Kha drove in two of the Warriors' four runs.

C of I would get two-hit performances from Muncy and Dodd, while Hennessey drove in a pair of runs for the Coyotes.

GAME #2 – CORBAN 9, COLLEGE OF IDAHO 8

In the weekend finale, Corban would build a six-run lead before holding on to earn the hard-fought one-run victory despite a comeback by The College of Idaho in its final at-bat.

C of I would begin the game by scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning on a RBI double down the right field line by Dodd that scored Seth Champlin following his lead off single through the left side for an early 1-0 COI lead.

Corban would quickly answer back with five runs in the top of the second inning on seven hits, as Forrister drove in the Warriors' first run on a single down the right field line that scored Johansen after he led off the inning with a single to center field. One batter later, Gallegos would bring home two base runners on a single through the right side that scored Martin and Forrister. After Gallegos stole second putting runners at second and third, Romero drive in Frost on a ground out before Legg singled to center field scoring Gallegos resulting in a 5-1 lead for the visiting Warriors.

In the bottom of the third inning, The College of Idaho would get one run back on a RBI single down the left field line by Dodd that pull C of I within three runs (3-2).

Corban would put two more runs on the board in the top of the fifth inning when Kha drew a bases loaded walk that scored Legg after he was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Bost would then step to the plate as a pinch hitter for Forrister and lifted a sacrifice fly into right center that allowed Johansen to score after he registered a one-out single to left center two batters earlier resulting in a five-run lead for the Warriors (7-2).

In the bottom of the eighth inning, The College of Idaho would pull within four runs (7-3) when Joe Roseberry scored on a double play with the bases loaded.

Corban would push its lead to six runs (9-3) in the top of the ninth inning when Gallegos ripped a two-run double to left center that scored senior Andy Hill and Frost.

The College of Idaho would not give up in its final at-bat, as the Coyotes battled back to score five runs on four hits and almost completed the comeback. C of I would begin the scoring when Roseberry scored on a wild pitch before Lewis ripped a double to right field that scored Champlin to pull the Coyotes within four runs (9-5). After Dodd was hit by a pitch, Hennessey singled to right field to score Lewis before Gregg Simonds roped a two-run single through the right side to score Dodd and Hennessey and pulled C of I within one run (9-8). Fortunately for Corban, Storm would get a game-ending strikeout to preserve the hard-fought win and a split of the weekend series.

Gallegos and Johansen would register three hits each for Corban, while five other Warriors – Romero, Legg, Foster, Martin, and Forrister – tallied two hits each.

The College of Idaho was led offensively by Lewis with a 4-for-5 performance, while Dodd was 3-for-4 with two runs batted in.

Corban will return to the diamond on Friday, March 15th, against non-conference member Antelope Valley in an afternoon double header that begins at 12:00 p.m. in Salem.