SALEM, Ore. – The Corban University baseball team dropped the first of four games with the visiting University of British Columbia Thunderbirds on Friday night by a final score of 11-4. The Warriors committed three errors and issued ten walks in the contest, while also giving away a few key outs on the basepaths.

"We had a number of chances to stay in the game today," said Corban skipper Derek Legg. "We have a great opportunity the rest of the series to get back to playing Warrior baseball."

Things got off to a hot start for the visitors as they struck for two runs in the top of the first inning against Corban starter Preston Johnson and added two more runs in the second to jump out to an early 4-0 lead.

The Corban offensive unit would punch back, however, in the bottom inning number two. After Reese Fawley and Brian Landon walked to lead off the frame, the Warriors got an RBI single from Keenan O'Brien which was promptly followed by another RBI single from Nainoa Ka'ahanui. Rookie Ryan Clay would add a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to just 4-3 through two innings of play.

Unfortunately, from there, the Thunderbirds continued to tally insurance runs against the Corban bullpen and the Corban offense could not sustain a rally.

After UBC plated two runs in the fifth and two more in the top of the sixth to push their lead to 8-3 the Warriors had a prime opportunity to cut into the deficit.

Corban loaded the bases with no outs, and chase UBC starter Shane LaForest from the contest. The Thunderbirds turned the ball over to righty Adam Khan would walk Keenan O'Brien, the first man he saw out of the 'pen, to make the score 8-4. From there however, Khan delivered a clutch strikeout, and induced a fly ball, in which the Corban runner got doubled off to end the inning.

Khan and fellow reliever Vicarte Domingo held the Corban offense at bay the rest of the way and the UBC offense continued to add runs before finally taking the contest by a score of 11-4.

Nathan Shute was the key offensive player for UBC, going 4-6 in the contest with 5 RBIs, while Cameron Sanderson and Brett Corbeth both tallied 2-hit days.

Cale Thompson (2-3) was the only Corban player with multiple hits on the evening.

The Warriors (20-20-1, 7-10) and Thunderbirds are back in action tomorrow at Volcano Stadium. Game one of the doubleheader is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.

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