WILSONVILLE, Ore. – The Corban University baseball team led all of the way up until there were two outs in the ninth inning, but a clutch hit from Pacific Lutheran University sent the Lutes in front for good, sealing the victory for the road squad, 4-2. The loss for Corban is the second-straight against PLU in as many days.
The Warriors jumped in front in the third inning when senior second baseman Marc Gallegos (Astoria, Ore.) singled through the left side, bringing home senior right-fielder Jordan Johansen (Black Diamond, Wash.) on the play. Corban then made it 2-0 a batter later when senior designated hitter Daniel Orr (Kingston, Wash.) hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring sophomore catcher Jackson Smith (Salem, Ore.).
Senior pitcher Austin Guzzon (Oceanside, Calif.) got the nod on the mound for the Warriors on the day, and he threw 4.2 innings for the Warriors, ultimately allowing one run in the fifth frame. Guzzon exited the game with just three hits allowed while striking out five batters and allowing one unearned run.
Sophomore pitcher Daniel Aranda (Lebanon, Ore.) came in for Guzzon and picked off a Lutes' runner in that fifth frame, getting the Warriors out of a jam.
The score remained the same throughout the next few innings, as Aranda continued to pitch effectively for the Navy and Gold. The Lutes did threaten on a couple of occasions, but the Warriors made some big-time defensive plays to keep PLU off the board. Sophomore shortstop Ryan Rosas (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) and senior infielder Stockton Taylor (Brewster, Wash.) both made phenomenal diving stops and throws, keeping Corban in front by the one run.
Then with two outs in the top of the ninth and Aranda one out away from earning a big win for the Warriors, Tyler Thompson came up with a big play for the Lutes, lacing a two-RBI double to put PLU in front. The Lutes would add one more after that, and while the Warriors did get a pair of runners on base in the bottom half of the frame, Corban did not get the big hit it was looking for, resulting in the two-run defeat.
Aranda finished the day pitching four innings while dispersing four hits and allowing the three runs in the ninth.
At the dish, Orr led the way with a pair of hits for Corban and one RBI, while Rosas and junior center-fielder Hayden Calvert (Canberra, Australia) also registered hits on the day. As a team, the Warriors totaled nine hits to just eight for the Lutes (6-2).
Corban (6-3) takes a break from action for the remainder of the week until the team travels south to California for an eight-game road trip. The first two games of the road stint are set for Sunday against La Sierra University. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m.
