SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Competing in the program's first-ever NAIA National Tournament game, the Corban University baseball team was edged by University of Saint Katherine in a pitchers' duel on Monday morning. The Firebirds claimed a 3-0 triumph over the Warriors to advance to play top-seeded Georgia Gwinnett later today, forcing Corban into an elimination game tomorrow morning.

The Warriors struggled to get going offensively against USK southpaw Brady Ware, collecting just a pair of hits against the Firebird starter in the defeat. Corban put runners on base in every inning except the fourth and ninth—aided by six free passes handed out by Ware—but the Navy and Gold failed to find the big knock it needed to bring a run home.

The first run of the game came in the bottom of the second, as the Firebirds collected a pair of two-out knocks to jump out in front. After Shaw breezed past the first two hitters in the inning, Ware helped his own cause with a two-out double to center. The next batter, Cody Rawson, followed that up with an opposite field RBI single, giving USK an early advantage.

Corban had an exciting opportunity to draw even in the seventh, when Estenio Sede ripped a triple into the left-center alleyway with one out. With the tying run just 90 feet away and only one away, pinch hitter Maxwell Jeffrey tapped a grounder to third base, and USK third baseman Alonzo Castellanos was able to cut down Sede at home for a big out. Ware ended up escaping the jam unscathed, working around the one-out triple.

The Warriors had another threat brewing in the eighth, with two runners on and two outs in the inning, but USK was once again able to navigate the jam. Firebird shortstop John Freeman made a fine backhanded play on a Justin Tow grounder deep into the six hole to preserve the shutout.

Saint Katherine added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the stanza to create some valuable breathing room, and the damage was once again done with two outs. The rally started when Aidan Cacciatore reached on an errant throw from Sede, and he eventually came home to score on an RBI base hit from Freeman. The next batter, Dylan Jacob, then roped an RBI double into left field to push the margin to three.

Ware returned to the mound for the ninth inning, retiring the Navy and Gold in order in the final frame to punctuate an impressive complete-game pitching performance. The southpaw allowed just two hits and struck out 14 while going the distance on the mound.

He excelled at the plate, as well, going 2-for-3 offensively and joining Freeman (2-for-4, R, RBI) as the only two players to tally multi-hit performances in the pitchers' duel.

For the Warriors, Sede (1-for-4) and Keenan O'Brien (1-for-3) were responsible for each of the squad's two hits.

Saddled with the tough-luck loss, Mason Shaw was brilliant on the hill for the Navy and Gold, blowing his previous career high in strikeouts (6) out of the water. Shaw fanned 11 Firebird hitters on Monday morning, surrendering three runs—only one of which was earned—over seven and two-thirds impressive innings.

The Warriors (22-30) will move to the elimination side of the bracket, playing on Tuesday against the loser of this afternoon's game between No. 14 Hope International University and (RV) Westmont College. Tomorrow's win-or-go-home matchup is slated to get underway at 9 a.m. at Westmont College.