VANCOUVER, B.C. – Thanks to clutch hitting and a big day at the plate for senior first baseman Daniel Orr (Kingston, Wash.), the Corban University baseball team earned a split with the University of British Columbia on Friday. It was a big ninth inning in game one that cemented Corban's 7-3 triumph, while the Warriors fell in game two against the Thunderbirds, 6-2. The victory for Corban was also significant because it meant that head coach Jeff McKay had registered his 118th-career win for Corban, making him the winningest coach in program history.
In the opener, the Warriors jumped on top early, and it was junior right-fielder Nic Coffman (Portland, Ore.) who laced a two-out double down the right field line to get things going. Orr followed that up with an RBI single up the middle, scoring Coffman to put Corban up by a run early.
Corban tacked on another in the fifth via another Orr RBI single to take a 2-0 lead.
Warrior senior pitcher Austin Guzzon (Oceanside, Calif.) was dealing early on, taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning. In that fifth frame, however, the Thunderbirds notched a pair of hits and scored a pair of runs to tie the contest at 2-2.
The game would remain tied all the way until the ninth frame, and that is when the Warriors would strike. Corban loaded the bases with nobody out, and once again, it was Orr who came through with the clutch hit for the Navy and Gold, lining a two-RBI double down the right-field line to put the Warriors in front by two runs. Senior second baseman Stockton Taylor (Brewster, Wash.) followed that up with an RBI single, and then sophomore designated-hitter Benjamin Liogon built on his recent hot-streak at the dish with a two-RBI single up the middle, putting Corban up 7-2.
Senior pitcher Jordan Johansen (Maple Valley, Wash.) finished out the contest for Corban, allowing just one run in the ninth to seal the triumph for the Warriors. Johansen threw the final three innings for the Navy and Gold, allowing four hits and just the one run, earning the win. Guzzon's final line was six innings, two hits, two runs, and seven strikeouts.
At the plate, Orr finished game one going 3-for-4 with four RBI and one run scored, while Taylor and Coffman both registered three-hit performances as well for the Warriors.
As a team, Corban outhit UBC, 15-6.
When Corban scores anywhere between six and nine runs on the campaign, the Warriors are 9-3. Additionally, Corban is now 16-10 when scoring first against opposing teams.
In the nightcap, UBC jumped in front with three runs in the second frame. Corban responded immediately with a pair of runs in the third inning, and it was Coffman registering the RBI in the frame for the Warriors.
The (RV) Thunderbirds ultimately tacked on two more in the fourth and then one more in the sixth, however, sealing the four-run NAIA-West triumph. Alex Webb went seven strong innings for UBC in the win, scattering seven hits while allowing two runs and striking out 11.
Warrior freshman pitcher Caleb Henry (Salem, Ore.) picked up the loss for the Navy and Gold, going five frames while allowing eight hits and five runs.
At the dish, senior center-fielder Marc Gallegos (Astoria, Ore.) and senior left-fielder Peter Martin (Toledo, Wash.) both tallied a pair of hits for the Warriors in the game-two defeat.
Corban (22-25, 10-12 NAIA-West) returns to action tomorrow against the Thunderbirds (33-12, 16-6 NAIA-West) to complete the four-game series. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. Be sure to follow the games via live stats.
