SURPRISE, Ariz. – The Corban University baseball team came up just shy of a late comeback in their first of a four-game set at Ottawa University-Arizona. The squad fought until the last pitch, but eventually fell by a final score of 6-5.

Things started with a bang in the first inning of the weekend as outfielder Kyle Clay deposited a solo home run to left field to give Corban an early lead.

From there Corban starter, Braedyn Chong, turned in a two and two-thirds innings of work in his first start of the campaign. The southpaw allowed just one earned run, a solo homer, prior to exiting the game.

The Warriors turned to sidewinder Jacob Bowser for the final out of the third inning after allowing an unearned run. After three complete innings OUAZ led 2-1.

Unfortunately, the bottom of the fourth inning proved problematic for the Navy and Gold as a combination of three hit by pitches, two errors, a wild pitch, and a walk led to four runs, only one of which was earned.

OUAZ rode their 6-1 lead into the sixth innings before the Warriors could muster another offensive threat. Kyle Clay started things in the sixth inning with a base hit to left field. From there senior utilityman Morgan Hostetler doubled to right field moving Clay to third base. A base hit from Estenio Sede, one of his three on the day, drove in the second run of the evening for the Navy and Gold and was directly followed by a Kairos Torres-Umi sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 6-3 after six innings of play.

The Warriors received a stellar outing the rest of the way from right-hander Drew Scherrer. The Montana native scattered five hits and struck out five in five shutout innings of work to close out the contest. It was the second straight scoreless outing to start the campaign for Scherrer.

The Warriors would trail 6-3 until the ninth inning before attempting to complete their comeback. The inning started on a promising note with back-to-back doubles by pinch-hitter, Zack Simon and Brad Pellkofer to cut the deficit to two. A one-out single by Cale Thompson scored Pellkofer and the Warriors suddenly had the tying run at first base.

Unfortunately, the rally would end there as Hostetler grounded sharply into a 6-3 double-play ending the contest.

"We are still trying to find a way to put together a complete nine innings," said Warrior skipper Derek Legg. "I proud of our fight and competitiveness and we are looking forward to a doubleheader tomorrow."

The Warriors return to the diamond tomorrow for games two and three against OUAZ. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. MT on Royals Field 6 in Surprise, Ariz.