KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The Corban University baseball team began the second half of NAIA-West Conference play on Saturday at Oregon Tech, dropping both contests to the Owls. After losing game one, 5-2, the Warriors almost made an incredible comeback in game two, falling just short in an 8-7 defeat.
"Our starting pitching has been solid all year mostly, but today we did not make in-game adjustments," said Corban head coach Jeff McKay. "This team showed its character in the comeback. We will need to use that in coming out tomorrow with the best effort of the season."
In the opener, Corban took a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning to take control of the contest. Oregon Tech responded however with a home run in the fifth to halve the deficit, and then tacked on three in the sixth to nab the 4-2 lead.
The Owls added one more in the seventh to make it a 5-2 advantage and held on for the win.
In the defeat, both Jarett Thoren and Zach Penrod tallied two hits apiece for the Warriors, while Kyle Kilian, Ethan Bragg, and Benjamin Liogon recorded a hit each. Rilyn Lewchuck picked up the loss on the mound for the Warriors, tossing 5.2 innings while giving up eight hits and four runs.
In game two, Oregon Tech scored six runs in the third to take a commanding lead and then added a seventh run in the fourth.
Bragg put the Warriors on the board in the sixth with an RBI single, and then Kilian ripped an RBI single of his own to make it a five-run ballgame.
The Owls added an insurance run in the bottom half of the frame, but then Corban pulled one right back in the seventh on an RBI groundout from Jackson Smith.
In the ninth, Corban almost completed a miraculous comeback, started by a three-run home run from Andrew Axmaker to make it a two-run game. Smith then reached base and Penrod brought him in on an RBI single to cut the deficit to just one. After that, Thoren laced a single to left field, putting runners on at first and second base for the Navy and Gold with just one out. Unfortunately, a game-ending groundball double play finished the Warriors off in the tough defeat.
"It was a great comeback in game two that fell just short," said McKay. "It was a great season debut for Andrew Axmaker with two hits, including a three-run home run. A fall injury got better quicker than expected. Austin Marsh and Kyler Elliot had hits off the bench for us which were key. In game one though, we had a lot of balls hit hard that did not find holes."
In the loss, Axmaker went 2-for-2 at the plate, while both Bragg and Josh Ebert notched two hits apiece as well. Corban totaled 14 hits to just 13 for the Owls, but Corban did leave eight runners on base.
The Warriors (10-20, 4-13 NAIA West) return to action tomorrow against the Owls (14-17, 9-7 NAIA West) for another doubleheader in Klamath Falls at 11 a.m.
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