SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – The Corban University baseball team struggled to string together hits together on Sunday, and a few key defensive miscues led to three unearned runs as the Bushnell University Beacons took the series finale by a 6-0 final score. In the first year of the program's existence, Sunday's victory marks the inaugural triumph for the Beacon baseball team.
"We got out-played in all aspects today," said head coach Derek Legg. "Give credit to Bushnell for showing up ready to play. We will get back to work in practice this week and prepare for College of Idaho."
Despite Sunday's disappointing outcome, Corban still took three of its four games over the weekend, including a series win against the Beacons and a triumph in its lone game against Oregon Tech.
A leadoff double from Ryan Clay helped kickstart a promising start for the Warriors in the top of the first. Clay subsequently advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Corban would end up loading the bases with just one out. Beacon starter Jahshua Yacapin was able to escape the jam without surrendering a run, settling in on the hill afterwards.
Bushnell struck first in the bottom of the second, when Brandon Reed—who had reached on an error earlier in the half inning—came around to score on an RBI single from Dylan Martin.
Errors haunted the Warriors in the two following stanzas, as well, as Bushnell added two more in the third and a pair of runs in the fourth. Only two of those four runs were earned, helping the hometown team grab valuable cushion heading into the middle innings.
A two-out RBI double helped Bushnell stretch the lead to sixth in the seventh, adding additional insurance for the home dugout. Corban loaded the bases in the top of the eighth, serving as a promising opportunity to claw back into the game late; unfortunately for the Navy and Gold, the Bushnell staff was able to navigate the threat without harm, retiring the heart of the Warriors' order to keep the shutout intact.
Yacapin earned the victory, going five and one-third inning and striking out six, while only allowing two hits. Kai Keamo took the ball in relief and finished the game on the mound, tossing three and two-thirds of scoreless ball to earn the save.
For Corban, Ryan Clay (1-for-3), Aidan Bunn (1-for-4), Kyle Clay (1-for-4), and Estenio Sede (1-for-1) accounted for the squad's four hits on Sunday.
The loss snaps a four-game winning streak for the Corban (6-4-1), which will make its highly anticipated home debut next weekend (February 26-27) against College of Idaho. First pitch for both Saturday and Sunday's doubleheaders against the Yotes is slated for 11 a.m. at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer, Ore.
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