McMinnville, Ore. - The Corban University baseball team registered its fifth-straight victory on Saturday afternoon at the Concordia Tournament, as the Warriors used a big second inning and a solid defensive effort to get past the University of Puget Sound, 3-1. The Navy and Gold picked up its fourth consecutive victory against the Loggers, an NCAA Division III team.  

Sophomore shortstop Ryan Rosas (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) went 2-for-4 with one RBI for the Navy and Gold, while senior outfielder Marc Gallegos (Astoria, Ore.) finished the day 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI.

Junior hurler Daniel Gober (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) notched his second victory of the 2015 campaign for Corban, as he struck out one batter in 4.1 innings and forced four ground outs and five fly outs. Meanwhile, junior pitcher Adam Shumka (White Rock, B.C.) collected his third save of the season, as he compiled a strikeout and impelled a couple of fly outs in the top of the ninth inning.

The Warriors (6-1) got to work in the bottom of the second inning, as senior second baseman Stockton Taylor (Brewster, Wash.) doubled to right field to get on base. Moments later, Rosas singled to center field to bring home Taylor and put Corban on the scoreboard. With two runners in scoring position, Gallegos delivered, as he singled to center field to score two more runs and give Corban a 3-0 advantage.

Corban found itself in the danger zone in the top of the fourth inning, as Puget Sound loaded the bases with zero outs. After Gober replaced sophomore hurler Rilyn Lewchuck (Oregon City, Ore.) on the mound, a sacrifice fly scored one run for the Loggers, but the alertness of the Warrior defense turned it into a double play, as Puget Sound's Nickolas Alarcio left the base early, and Taylor fired over to sophomore third baseman Vince Gonzalez (Kennewick, Wash.) for the putout. Puget Sound's next batter proceeded to fly out to left field to end the inning.

Although the Warriors maintained their 3-1 lead, the Loggers would load the bases once again with two outs in the top of the eighth inning. But with sophomore left-handed pitcher Daniel Aranda (Lebanon, Ore.) on the mound, junior first baseman Nathan Backes flied out to center field to retire the side and allow the Navy and Gold to exhale a sigh of relief.

With Shumka on the mound in the top of the ninth inning, senior catcher Bobby Hosmer struck out, and the Loggers' final two batters flied out to the outfield to grant Corban the hard-fought victory.

"It was a strong effort from the bullpen that won it for us and again a top defensive effort," said head coach Jeff McKay. "For the most part, we were ready to play after an emotional win yesterday."

Freshman catcher Austin Zavala (Medford, Ore.) went 2-for-3 with one run for the Warriors, while Taylor and senior designated hitter Scott Dreier (Santa Cruz, Calif.) both hit 1-for-3 on the afternoon.

"The kids are playing confidently in pressure situations - that is a sign of a team playing well," commented McKay. "A few more players got to contribute today to the win, as the roster deepens with capable players for the long season."

Puget Sound (2-4) was led by senior center fielder Connor Savage, as he batted 2-for-2 with one run. Alarcio and Hosmer both went 2-for-4 for the Loggers, while Backes notched the Loggers' only RBI with the sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. In addition, freshman pitcher Merle Rowan-Kennedy lost his first game on the mound, as he surrendered eight hits and three runs in in 6.2 innings pitched.