Portland, Ore. - It took 13 innings, but the fourth-seeded Corban University baseball team staved off elimination in the NAIA West Tournament, defeating third-seeded Menlo College in 13 innings on Saturday afternoon, 6-4. With the victory, the Warriors advance to play The College of Idaho later this afternoon in another elimination game.
The contest tied for the second-longest game in NAIA West Tournament history. In the contest, the Warriors stranded 15 runners on base and hit into an NAIA record six double plays over the course of the contest, but it all ended up resulting in the victory.
After getting runners into scoring position in the ninth, 10th, 11th, and 12th innings, the Warriors finally came through with the clutch base knock they were looking for, and it was senior first baseman Daniel Orr (Kingston, Wash.) who provided the go-ahead two-RBI double. With the bases juiced and one out, Orr ripped a two-RBI double into left-center field, putting the Navy and Gold in front, 4-2.
Watch the clutch go-ahead RBI double here:
Then with runners on at second and third base, junior right-fielder Nic Coffman (Portland, Ore.) laced a two-RBI single to center field, giving Corban a 6-2 lead heading into the bottom of the 13th frame. Those runs proved to be huge, as Menlo ended up scoring two runs and then got another runner into scoring position with two outs, but sophomore pitcher Daniel Aranda (Lebanon, Ore.) then closed the door on Menlo, getting the third and final out and ending the marathon with the Warriors as the victors in the 13-Inning thriller.
"I am really proud of the Warriors," said head coach Jeff McKay. "They grinded it out and did not give up. Austin Guzzon pitched like the ace of our staff that he is, and Jordan Johansen kept us in the game as well. Daniel Orr stepped up big. He has really returned to his form from a year ago, a big-time hitter in the clutch."
Aranda picked up the save for the Warriors, while senior pitcher Jordan Johansen (Maple Valley, Wash.) earned the win, throwing three extra innings of solid relief for Corban. Fellow senior pitcher Austin Guzzon (Oceanside, Calif.) did his job for the Navy and Gold, hurling nine innings while allowing just two runs and dispersing six hits.
"Our defense kept us in it and Jon Mercer made the defensive play of the season to hold Menlo off," said McKay. "That game must be the longest post-season game for any Corban Baseball team. The squad is looking forward to a rematch with C of I later today, and this team is capable of making a run in this tournament."
Early in the contest, senior second baseman Stockton Taylor (Brewster, Wash.) put Corban on the board in the fourth frame via an RBI single through the left side, scoring senior left-fielder Peter Martin (Toledo, Wash.) on the play. Martin reached base earlier in the inning via a hard single off of the Menlo pitcher's body. Coffman stepped up to the dish following Taylor's RBI single and hit a sacrifice fly to deep left field, scoring Orr to give the Warriors the 2-0 lead. Orr reached base via a double down the left-field line prior to scoring.
Watch the video highlight of Taylor's RBI single:
Menlo responded with a two-out rally in the fifth inning, eventually scoring via a bases-loaded walk. Guzzon came through clutch for Corban, getting the next Oaks' batter to line out to Orr at first base, helping the Navy and Gold escape the bases-loaded jam.
The Oaks (33-22) got two more runners on base in the sixth, but Guzzon once again got out of the jam. Menlo would score one in the seventh, however, tying the contest, eventually sending it to extras.
At the dish, Orr and Taylor both recorded three-hit days, while senior third baseman Marc Gallegos (Astoria, Ore.) also registered three hits in the triumph. Coffman finished the game going 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Following the contest, Orr talked about the exciting win in a post-game interview:
Corban (27-28) returns to action later today vs. the fifth-seeded College of Idaho Yotes. First pitch is to be determined and will start at the conclusion of the Concordia-UBC contest currently underway.
