KEIZER, Ore. – While finishing up a suspended game from Friday and then playing two more games on Saturday, College of Idaho nabbed a series win against the Corban University baseball team, taking two of three from the Warriors. The rubber game of the series ended up going 10 innings, and the Yotes came from behind to earn the series victory at Salem-Keizer Volcanoes Stadium.
Click 'Play Button' on photo above for video highlights.
Game one of the series on Friday ended up finishing on Saturday after play was suspended on Friday due to heavy rain. When play resumed on Saturday, the Yotes finished the Warriors off in the ninth frame, ultimately going on to win via a 6-3 score line.
The Yotes led 4-2 heading into the eighth inning of the opener, but the Warriors loaded the bases and looked ready to capitalize. Corban freshman center fielder Jalen Garcia (Billings, Mont.) ripped a key RBI single to pull Corban to within one, but on the next batter, the Warriors hit into an inning-ending and rally-killing double play, ending the chance to move in front.
After the game was suspended, the Yotes added two runs in the ninth on Saturday to secure the game-one victory. Zach Draper earned the win for the Yotes, going 6.1 innings on the mound while allowing two earned runs. Corban sophomore pitcher Caleb Henry (Salem, Ore.) picked up the loss, going 4.1 innings while allowing three runs on four hits.
Game two saw a familiar face on the mound for the Warriors, as reigning conference pitcher of the week – sophomore lefty Connor Mattison (Salem, Ore.) hurled another gem for Corban, going six innings while allowing just two hits and striking out six. And for the second-straight start, he allowed no runs. As good as he performed, he was opposite C of I's Jake Eddy, and Eddy threw well also, going seven innings while allowing two hits and no runs, striking out 10 along the way.
It came down to the two team's bullpens, and Corban ultimately got the big hits in the bottom of the eighth inning. Once again, Garcia came through in the clutch with an RBI double to right field, scoring Corban first run of the game. Warrior junior catcher Jackson Smith (Salem, Ore.) came up next and laced an RBI single to the shortstop, beating out the infield play to put the Navy and Gold up 2-0.
Earning the win was sophomore pitcher Austin Holmes (Mount Lake Terrace (Wash.), as Holmes hurled the final three innings for the Warriors, allowing only two hits and no runs in his first-career win for Corban.
In the third and final game of the series, junior right fielder Benjamin Liogon (Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico) had a breakout game for Corban, blasting a two-run homerun over the left-field fence in the second inning, and then ripping a three-run shot over the left-field wall in the third to put Corban up 5-1.
Things looked to be smooth sailing later in the inning when the Warriors tacked on two more runs to take a 7-1 advantage.
Not backing down without a fight, however, C of I battled back, scoring three runs in the fourth inning, and then another in the fifth to cut the deficit to two runs. The Yotes came up clutch in the eighth, registering a pair of RBI groundouts to tie the game at 7-7, sending the rubber game to extra innings.
In the 10th frame, Johnny Hyland completed the comeback win for the Yotes, hitting a deep sacrifice fly to center field, scoring the eighth and game-winning run for C of I.
In the victory, both Jake Bowman and Jake Hennessey tallied a trio of hits for the Yotes, and as a team, C of I (14-4, 2-1 NAIA-West) out-hit Corban 17-8 in the finale.
For the Warriors, Liogon finished the game 4-for-5 at the dish with five RBI and two runs scored, while junior second baseman Vince Gonzalez (Kennewick, Wash.) went 2-for-3 with one run scored.
"We had strong individual performances from Connor Mattison, Austin Holmes, and Benjamin Liogon for the day," said Corban head coach Jeff McKay. We let a big lead slip away in game three with our inability to command the strike zone. We also have a lot of areas to shore up defensively. We need to increase the learning curve with our young and inexperienced players. We are suffering some growing pains."
The fourth and final game of the series was cancelled, but the game was a non-conference contest.
It was a tough way to start the conference home schedule by losing very close games," said McKay. "Those are the type of games we will learn to win."
Corban (3-8, 1-2 NAIA-West) returns to action next week when it travels north to Canada for a quartet of games against the University of British Columbia. First pitch on Saturday is set for 12 p.m.
Become a fan of Corban Athletics on Facebook
Follow Corban Athletics on Twitter @CorbanAthletics
Follow Corban Athletics on Instagram: corban_athletics
Follow Corban Athletics on Snapchat: corbanathletics
Watch Corban Warrior videos on Youtube: CorbanUAthletics
Sign up for our Corban Warriors email Newsletter
#WarriorNation
