KEIZER, Ore. – The Corban University baseball team came out on the short end of both games at home against the University of British Columbia (UBC) on Friday afternoon. On a day that featured only eight runs in both games combined, the Thunderbirds scored just enough to win both low-scoring affairs, 2-1 and 4-1.
Game One: UBC 2, Corban 1
In game one, both starting pitchers threw well. Corban lefty Connor Mattison (Salem, Ore.) shut down the Thunderbird offense, scattering seven hits through seven innings while striking out five and only allowing one run. Opposite him, UBC ace Alex Webb was nearly unhittable, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning and also giving up the one run while striking out nine Warrior batters.
John Whaley hit an RBI single in the top of the second inning to give UBC an early lead, and the Warriors scored their lone run in the bottom of the seventh frame on an RBI single by Vince Gonzalez (Kennewick, Wash.). The difference in the game, though, came in the ninth inning, when Kyle McComb hit a fly ball to right field with one out and the bases loaded. Corban right fielder Hayden Calvert (Canberra, Australia) threw a rocket home to try to nab UBC runner Vinny Martin, but the throw was late and the Thunderbirds scored the eventual game-winning run.
While both starters performed well enough to earn the win, both came away with no-decisions, as the game was decided in the late innings. Tyler Gillies hurled two shutout innings to earn the win in relief, while Daniel Aranda (Lebanon, Ore.) was saddled with the loss.
Mike Orosz, Vinny Martin, and John Whaley accounted for six of the ten Thunderbird hits, and Gonzalez led the Warriors with two hits.
Game Two: UBC 4, Corban 1
Game Two started off well for the Warriors, who jumped out ahead in the third inning when Alex Storaci (Kennewick, Wash.) laced a single up the middle to score Kyle Kilian (Prosser, Wash.), who had doubled earlier in the inning. Unfortunately, that was all Corban would get, as UBC starter Curtis Taylor settled down in a big way, shutting the Warriors out for the remainder of his complete game, eight strikeout performance.
Corban starting pitcher Caleb Henry (Salem, Ore.) was lights out for his first five innings of work, but hit a roadblock in the sixth frame. After striking out the first batter of the inning, a walk and a hit batter put two runners on with only one out. Vinny Martin then stepped up and delivered the big blow, launching a three-run homerun over the left field fence to give UBC a 3-1 lead and ending Henry's night on the mound.
The Thunderbirds added an unearned run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Lucas Soper to close out the scoring.
"The British Columbia pitchers, who are as good as anyone in the country, showed why they are just that for the second time this season," said head coach Jeff McKay. "We did not compete well offensively, but we pitched well all day. Earlier this year - on the road in Vancouver - we came back with a good effort--let's hope we can respond the same tomorrow."
Zach Penrod (Nampa, Idaho) notched three hits for Corban, while Calvert laced two doubles. Vinny Martin had two hits and provided the big hit with the homerun.
Austin Holmes (Mount Lake Terrace, Wash.) tossed 3.2 innings in relief for the Warriors and did not allow an earned run.
Corban (14-21, 9-12 NAIA West) returns to the diamond tomorrow to close out the four-game series with UBC (29-12, 15-6 NAIA West) at 11 a.m. at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer, Ore. Live stats and video will be available here.
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