VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Corban University baseball team played some of its best baseball of the year on Saturday, but it was not enough as the Navy and Gold fell to the University of British in both contests by one run. While losing game one, 4-3, Corban lost game two in 11 innings, 7-6.
In the opener, UBC jumped on top in the first frame with a pair of runs. The Thunderbirds would add two more in the second inning, extending the lead to four runs.
Corban pulled one run back in the fourth frame to cut into the deficit. Senior second baseman Stockton Taylor (Brewster, Wash.) got things started with a leadoff walk, and he advanced to third base via a double from senior center-fielder Marc Gallegos (Astoria, Ore.). Taylor eventually came in to cross the plate via an RBI groundout from senior first baseman Daniel Orr (Kingston, Wash.).
Warrior senior left-fielder Peter Martin (Toledo, Wash.) led off the fifth frame with a bunt single, and then he advanced to third via a double from freshman catcher Austin Zavala (Medford, Ore.). The Navy and Gold then took advantage of a throwing error by UBC, scoring two runs to make it a one-run ballgame.
That would be all the scoring Corban would register for the remainder of the contest, however, resulting in the one-run loss for the Navy and Gold.
For the game, Gallegos led the way at the plate for Corban with a 2-for-3 performance, while as a team, the Navy and Gold totaled five hits. Pitching for Corban in game one on Saturday was junior Daniel Gober (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), and despite picking up the loss, Gober did go eight solid innings for the Warriors, dispersing seven hits while allowing four runs, only two of which were earned. He also struck out seven along the way.
For (RV) UBC, Conor Lillis-White went six innings while giving up three runs and four hits, earning the win for the Thunderbirds. At the dish, Tyler Enns and Kevin Biro both tallied a pair of hits in the win.
In game two, sophomore shortstop Ryan Rosas (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) led the game off with a single down the right-field line. A few batters later with Rosas at third, Gallegos laced an RBI single to right field to score Rosas. Gallegos eventually found himself on second, and junior right-fielder Nic Coffman (Portland, Ore.) brought him home with an RBI single to right field to make it 2-0 Corban.
The Thunderbirds answered immediately with three runs in the bottom of the first, however, taking a 3-2 lead. UBC made it 4-2 in the second frame, but Corban responded in the third with a run to keep it close.
The Warriors then scored a run to tie it in the fifth, and Orr laced an RBI single through the right side to score Gallegos, putting Corban in front, 5-4.
Once again, however, UBC (35-12, 18-6 NAIA-West) rallied to score a pair of runs, plating runners in both the sixth and seventh frames to regain the advantage, 6-5.
Showing resiliency, Gallegos brought the Navy and Gold level in the eighth with an RBI single to the shortstop, tying the game at six. The Warriors needed to capitalize more in the frame, however, leaving the bases loaded and three runners stranded.
The game eventually made it all the way until the 11th frame, and in the top of that extra inning, Orr lined a double to right-center, but the Warriors were unable to bring him in, resulting in the fateful bottom half of the 11th. UBC led off with a double, and after sacrificing the runner over to third, the Thunderbird baserunner scored via a sacrifice fly, ending the contest and sealing the series win for UBC.
Orr led the way at the plate for Corban in the nightcap, going 5-for-6 with one RBI, while Gallegos went 3-for-6 with two RBI and three runs scored.
On the mound, the Navy and Gold used a number of different pitchers, but it was junior pitcher Adam Shumka (White Rock, B.C.) who ultimately was dealt the loss, giving up one hit and the one run in the final frame.
"We played as well in this series as any time this year," said head coach Jeff McKay. "UBC is a top-20 nationally type of team. We are coming together at the right time to make a good push to post season. We are slowly getting healthy, and we are looking forward to the final series and senior day next weekend. This team is capable of making an end of the season and post-season run. This was a great college baseball series."
Corban (22-27, 10-14 NAIA-West) returns to action and finishes its regular season next weekend when it hosts Simpson University at Warrior Field for four games on Friday and Saturday. First pitch on Friday is set for 12 p.m., and then Corban's seniors will be honored on Saturday. First pitch on Saturday is set for 11 a.m.
