CALDWELL, Idaho - The Corban University baseball team held a lead after six innings in both games on Saturday against the College of Idaho, but the Warriors only came out of the doubleheader with one win in the first NAIA-West games of the 2015 campaign. The Warriors dropped game one on the day, 8-7, while the Navy and Gold bounced back in a big way in game two, claiming a 5-2 triumph over the Yotes on the road.
The split on the day takes the Navy and Gold to an 11-12 overall record and a 1-1 mark in NAIA-West play. Corban, which still has not played an official home game at Warrior Field yet, is currently 7-9 in road contests, while 4-3 on neutral fields. Season Stats can be found here.
In that exciting game-two victory, senior second baseman Stockton Taylor (Brewster, Wash.) got the ball rolling in the top of the first frame, ripping an RBI double to score sophomore shortstop Ryan Rosas (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) on the play.
With a 1-0 lead after one, the Warriors exploded for a three-spot in the second inning, and Rosas was in on the act once again, this time providing the pop at the plate, lacing a two-RBI single to score senior designated-hitter Peter Martin (Toledo, Wash.) and freshman catcher Austin Zavala (Medford, Ore.) on the play. In that same frame, senior first baseman Daniel Orr (Kingston, Wash.) notched a sacrifice fly, scoring freshman center-fielder Chase Swainston (Nampa, Idaho) on the flyout.
Up 4-0, Corban then flexed its muscles in the third inning, as junior right-fielder Nic Coffman (Portland, Ore.) blasted his team-leading third homerun of the year, putting the Warriors up by five.
That was all the help freshman pitcher Caleb Henry (Salem, Ore.) needed, as he rolled through the Yotes' lineup, allowing just six hits in seven innings while allowing two runs - only one of which was earned. He also struck out four along the way. Junior pitcher Adam Shumka (White Rock, B.C.) came on in relief for Henry, only giving up one hit while earning his team-best fifth save of the year.
"The first conference win in game two today was an important one after giving game one to C of I," said head coach Jeff McKay. "A split is never good, but does still give us the chance to win the series tomorrow. Caleb gave us another good start on the mound in that game-two win, and Nic and Peter both really put a jolt in our offense today. Adam then came up clutch, picking up another important save. Road wins are going to be tough to get this year in this conference."
At the dish in the nightcap win, both Taylor and Rosas racked up three hits apiece, while Coffman and Martin both registered two hits. Those four players accounted for all of Corban's 10 hits in the game-two triumph.
In the series-opening one-run loss, the Navy and Gold looked to be cruising after one inning, leading 4-0, and then after three frames, 6-1. During that stretch, Martin and Taylor both racked up RBI, while Coffman launched a two-run shot over the wall and an RBI single an inning later, helping build on the early momentum.
Heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Navy and Gold held a 7-3 advantage, but it was not a good seventh frame for Corban. Despite not allowing a hit in the inning, Corban allowed the five runs via five walks and a hit-by-pitch, coupled with a pair of defensive miscues.
Corban got the tying run on second base in the ninth frame with just one out, but the Navy and Gold could not take advantage, grounding out twice and ending the game in the Yotes' favor.
For the contest, College of Idaho scored eight runs on just three hits, while Corban scored seven runs on 10 hits.
Warrior senior pitcher Austin Guzzon (Oceanside, Calif.) went 6.1 innings in the start for the Navy and Gold, allowing four runs and three hits while striking out eight.
At the plate, both Coffman and Martin racked up three hits in the defeat.
Corban (11-12, 1-1) returns to action tomorrow to complete the series with C of I (17-8, 1-1), playing another doubleheader that is set to begin at 11 a.m. MST.
