SALEM, Ore. – The Corban University baseball team was unable to get its hitting and pitching to sync at the same time, as the Warriors dropped Saturday's opener to Concordia University in a high-scoring affair, 10-7, while losing the nightcap in a pitcher's duel, 2-1. For the Warriors, it is their first series loss of the 2015 NAIA-West campaign, while for Cavaliers, it is their first series win of the 2015 NAIA-West season.
Corban jumped in front in the first game of the day when sophomore shortstop Ryan Rosas (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) came in to score on a wild pitch in the first inning. Rosas originally led off the game with a single to right field for Corban.
The Warriors made it 2-0 in the second frame when sophomore third baseman Vince Gonzalez (Kennewick, Wash.) notched an RBI infield single, scoring senior designated-hitter Ben Straka (Eugene, Ore.) from third base on the play.
Concordia answered in a big way in the fourth inning, scoring five runs to take a 5-2 advantage. The Cavaliers then tacked on another in the fifth frame, extending the lead to 6-2.
Not backing down, Corban put four runs on the board in the fifth inning, tying the contest at 6-6. Rosas and senior first baseman Daniel Orr (Kingston, Wash.) both recorded RBI base-knocks, and then senior center-fielder Marc Gallegos (Astoria, Ore.) blasted a two-run shot over the left-field wall to tie the contest at six apiece.
The Cavaliers quickly regained the lead in the sixth, however, scoring three runs via a three-run homerun from Jarren Goddard. Concordia added one more in the ninth, giving itself some cushion.
The Warriors loaded the bases in the ninth frame with no outs with the heart of the order coming up to the plate, but Corban was only able to score one run from the next three batters, resulting in the three-run defeat.
Warrior junior pitcher Tony Davidson (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) went 5.2 innings on the mound for the Navy and Gold in the start, surrendering nine hits and seven runs in the loss.
At the dish, Rosas finished game one with a 4-for-5 showing, scoring two runs while tallying one RBI. Gallegos led the Navy and Gold with three RBI, while Gonzalez added two hits for Corban.
Quinn Eldridge earned the win, throwing five innings while allowing seven hits and giving up six runs. Ryan McMonigle pitched well for the Cavs, going four innings while allowing just one run and six hits, picking up the save in the process.
In game two, the Navy and Gold once again scored early, jumping in front in the first frame with a run. Concordia responded with a run of its own in the second, however, tying the game.
The Cavaliers (15-17, 7-5 NAIA-West) then scored again via a trio of hits in the fifth, taking a 2-1 lead.
The pitching from Concordia's Blake Evetts shut down the Warriors for the remainder of the contest, as he allowed just four hits total while throwing a complete game, ultimately earning the win in the narrow 2-1 triumph.
For Corban, the four hits in the game tied for a season low.
"Sometimes in baseball, you can't get the pitching and hitting going at the same time," said Corban head coach Jeff McKay. "Today was that way for the Warriors. Game one had two good comebacks with some key offensive execution, but the pitching could not match it. Game two had the pitching, but we could not get the offense going. Daniel Aranda's relief really gave us a chance, but we had a well-pitched game against us. We are really going through the worst injury-plagued season in my five years, but we will work through this and get other players to step up and hope to get healthy for the stretch run and the conference tournament. We always say the season will be defined by how we finish, now by how we start."
On the mound, junior pitcher Daniel Gober (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) picked up the loss, pitching 4.1 innings while allowing two runs and seven hits. Sophomore pitcher Daniel Aranda (Lebanon, Ore.) shined out of the bullpen for the Navy and Gold, hurling 4.2 shutout innings to keep the Warriors in the game, surrendering just one hit while striking out seven Cavalier batters.
Rosas once again led the way at the plate, tallying two hits in the defeat.
Corban (17-18, 5-7 NAIA-West) returns to the diamond on Tuesday against Willamette University at home at Warrior Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
