KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - The Corban University Baseball team had its chances, but couldn't get the clutch hit as the Warriors fell to Oregon Tech on the road, 3-2, on Friday night.
In a game of missed opportunities, Corban outhit the Owls 7-5, but left eight runners stranded in the heartbreaking loss.
"We had our chances tonight - we just could not break through," said head coach Jeff McKay. "Aranda really kept us in the game with nearly five scoreless innings. It was a game we should have won. OIT played better baseball. We will be ready tomorrow for a better effort.
Corban got on the board early, when Benjamin Liogon (Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico) laced an RBI single up the middle to score Landon Frost (Bend, Ore.), who reached on an error earlier in the inning. Oregon Tech bounced back in the bottom half of the inning, though, scoring a run to push the game back to even.
The score remained unchanged until the fourth inning, when the Owl's Matthew Moorehead hit a two-run homerun to put Oregon Tech up 3-1 and those runs proved to be the difference in the game.
The Warriors had an excellent opportunity in the sixth inning when Hayden Calvert (Canberra, Australia) hit a leadoff double and Liogon was hit by a pitch right after. After a sacrifice bunt and a Corban walk loaded the bases, Jackson Smith (Salem, Ore.) brought in a run on a hit-by-pitch to cut the lead to one. That was all the Warriors would get, unfortunately, as the Owls worked out of a bases loaded jam.
Corban had another chance to tie the game in the top of the eighth frame, when a one-out double by Braden Wolgamott (Bellevue, Wash.) put the tying run in scoring position. Vince Gonzalez (Kennewick, Wash.) came through, lacing a single into left field, but the Owls were able to throw out the Warrior running trying to score and minimize the threat.
Sophomore Connor Mattison (Salem, Ore.) started on the mound for the Warriors and suffered the loss, allowing three runs (all earned) in 3.1 innings. Daniel Aranda (Lebanon, Ore.) threw lights out in relief, striking out five and allowing only one hit in the final 4.2 innings.
"We showed our youth and inexperience tonight. We will learn and make adjustments as needed. We are showing our lack of being able to practice on a field but we will do what we can to figure something out."
Corban (7-12, 4-6 NAIA West) will take on the Owls (9-18, 2-8 NAIA West) again tomorrow in a doubleheader. Both games will be conference games, and the first pitch is scheduled for 12 P.M. Become a fan of Corban Athletics on Facebook
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