CALDWELL, Idaho – The Corban University baseball team held leads in both NAIA West Conference games at the College of Idaho on Sunday, but the Warriors ended up dropping both contests, ultimately falling three games to one in the series. After losing Sunday's opener, 11-4, Corban dropped the nightcap, 13-5.
"It was a tough day for the Warriors," said Corban head coach Jeff McKay. "We have three proven bullpen guys still injured, but we have guys competing well but were not able to get it done today. It is a long way to go in the conference race. We have the capability to get back in it, especially if we can get healthy. The offense is showing signs of improving."
Game one started promisingly for the Navy and Gold, as Vince Gonzalez ripped an RBI single to right field to score Drew Loera and give the Warriors the early advantage.
C of I responded with two runs in the third, and then three more in the fifth to take a 5-1 lead, however. The Yotes then piled on five more runs in the sixth inning en route to downing the Warriors, 11-4.
In the loss, Ethan Bragg blasted his second home run in as many days, while Brock Myklebust came through with a two-RBI double to center field in the ninth for Corban. As a team, Corban recorded just six total hits in the defeat.
In game two and the final game of the four-game stint with the Yotes, C of I took a lead in the second inning, but Corban responded in a big way in the fourth frame with three runs. Bragg ripped an RBI double to tie the game, and then both Gonzalez and Benjamin Liogon tallied RBI singles to push the lead to 3-1.
In the fifth, both Zach Penrod and Bragg tacked on a couple of more RBI singles, giving the Warriors what seemed to be a commanding advantage.
The sixth inning then rolled around, however, and C of I blasted a grand slam to tie the game at 5-5. Then in the seventh, the Yotes hit their second grand slam of the game to push ahead by four runs. C of I piled on four more runs in the eighth to make it a 13-5 ballgame, sealing the victory and the series win.
Bragg, Zach Penrod, and Cody Schmidt all registered two hits in the defeat for the Warriors.
Corban (8-13, 2-6 NAIA West) returns home next week for a conference series with the University of British Columbia. Games are set for Saturday and Sunday at Salem-Keizer Volcanoes Stadium, with first pitch slated for 12 p.m. on Saturday.
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