STAYTON, Ore. – Saturday afternoon's home-opener for Corban University baseball came down to the wire, with an exciting play at the plate serving as the final out in Menlo College's 5-4 victory over the Warriors.

"It was good to be able to play a game today with the weather issues we had," said head coach Derek Legg. "Obviously not the outcome we wanted, but the boys were able to compete at the end, and I'm hopeful that energy carries over to tomorrow. We're looking forward to getting another chance to compete."

Though Corban came out on the wrong side of the thriller, the squad showed grit and determination in the loss, mounting a valiant comeback attempt in the game's final two frames.

Held scoreless through the first seven frames, the Warriors capitalized on a couple of Menlo miscues to push across a pair of runs in the eighth, bringing the game within three. Facing the Oaks' presumed closer, Jacob Ramirez, Dakota Fingar began the final inning by lacing a single through the left side. After a subsequent base-on-balls from pinch-hitter Justin Tow, followed by a pair of consecutive ground outs, Tanner Marsh delivered a clutch single through the right side to extend the game and pull the score within one.

Warrior backstop Nate Cantonwine wasted no time in his at-bat, ripping a first-pitch fastball past the second baseman into the right-center gap. After ranging over to cut off the base knock, Oak right-fielder Devon Canty struggled to corral it, spurring him to quickly collect himself. Forcing the issue on the bobble, Marsh—the tying run—rounded third and raced to the plate. Canty was able to recover and deliver a strike to his second-baseman Dalton Maxwell, however, who in turn executed a perfect relay home to cut down Marsh and seal the Menlo victory.

Once again, miscues proved to be key turning points in the contest. A catchable pop fly that dropped in foul territory in the third inning gave new life to Menlo's Maxwell, who proceeded to send the next pitch over the right field fence for a two run homer for the game's first scoring. The two runs served as the only blemish on an otherwise dominant outing (Six innings, five hits, two runs, seven strikeouts) from Warrior ace Jonathan Russomano.

Each of Menlo's five runs came via the long ball, as Oaks' centerfielder Nick Adgar also went deep with a three-run shot in the seventh; all three runs were unearned. 

Despite the disappointing ending, the squad's ability to overlook an unorthodox day of weather and compete hard until the last out serves as a bright spot in the Warriors' young 2019 season.

Corban (0-7) will be back in action tomorrow against Menlo, with a doubleheader scheduled at a new time of 1 p.m./4 p.m. at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer, Ore.