REDDING, Calif. – After struggling to get any sort of offense going in game one on opening day of the 2017 season, the Corban University baseball team bounced back with a strong showing in game two, earning a day-one split with Simpson University. The Red Hawks took the opener, 4-1, while the Warriors won the nightcap, 6-1.
"It was nice to finally get the season started even with a split today," said Corban head coach Jeff McKay. "We just couldn't get a key hit in the first game. The bullpen was outstanding with one run allowed in over nine innings. Gonzalez led the offense. Simpson is much improved from last year – we need to be ready in game one tomorrow."
In the season-opener, Rilyn Lewchuk was on the mound for the Warriors, but the Red Hawks jumped on Corban's ace early with a pair of runs in the first, and then two more runs by the end of the fifth frame, giving Simpson a commanding 4-0 lead.
Through six innings, the Warriors still had not registered a hit yet, but eventually Corban would get a hit in the seventh and then load the bases, but ultimately the Warriors were able to score just one run in the inning. Leaving the runners stranded proved to be costly, as Simpson held on for the 4-1 triumph.
Game two was dominated by Corban's pitching staff, as Connor Mattison began the game well for the Warriors, tossing 3.1 innings while allowing a run, but then Caleb Henry took over from there, throwing the next 4.2 innings while surrendering just one hit and allowing no runs. In his outing, Henry struck out eight Simpson batters and earned the win on the mound.
Zach Penrod came on in the ninth with the Warriors up 6-1 and closed the door, allowing no hits and no runs while striking out two.
At the dish in the game-two victory, Corban scored twice in the fourth, once in the fifth and sixth, and then twice in the ninth en route to the triumph. Vince Gonzalez led the way for Corban at the plate, going 3-for-5 with one RBI and one run scored. In addition, Drew Loera tallied two hits, two runs scored and one RBI, while Penrod performed well at the plate with a clutch two-RBI double for Corban.
Corban (1-1) returns to the field tomorrow when it plays Simpson again at 11 a.m. in the rubber match of the series before then taking on Menlo College to close out the road trip at 3 p.m.
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