KEIZER, Ore. –A Jekyll and Hyde performance from the Corban University Baseball team (14-25) was in store for Warrior Nation today, as the Navy and Gold secured an 8-2 win over the Eastern Oregon University Mountaineers (2-33, 1-17) before dropping the back half of the doubleheader 5-1.
"Tough day for us," Warriors' Head Coach Ethan Bragg stated. "Looking forward to getting back to our style of baseball tomorrow."
Game 1 – Corban 8, EOU 2
The Warriors struck first in top half of Saturday's doubleheader, thanks to a bomb to left center from sophomore second baseman Elijah Maris. The RBI triple sent sophomore third baseman Ryan Clay home for the 28th time this season, giving Corban 1-0 edge after one inning of play.
Eastern Oregon answered in the second inning, scoring two runs and claiming a 2-1 lead. Designated hitter Mario Landeros crossed home plate after an RBI triple from first baseman Noah Mayfield, who would go on to score unearned after a costly Warrior error.
Junior outfielder Brad Pellkofer tied the game up 2-2, sending a sacrifice fly into left field that hung in the air just long enough for Ryan Clay to score his second run of the contest. The Warriors continued adding to the scoreboard in the third inning, scoring twice more off the bats of sophomore designated hitter Scott Artzer and junior outfielder Chris Grayson.
After four inning of scoreless play, senior first baseman Nainoa Ka'ahanui woke the Warriors bats up with an RBI single into right field, allowing Artzer to score. Senior catcher Keenan O'Brien ripped a double to right field, sending redshirt sophomore pinch-runner Nick Pope across hom eplate in the process. Ryan Clay got in on the action once again with a single through the right side that saw two runs score, giving Corban the 8-2 victory in the end.
It was a dominant performance from junior pitcher Nate Martin, who allowed just two hits while dealing three strikeouts in a complete game pitched, earning his fifth win of the season.
Sophomore starting pitcher Bennett King was credited with the loss for EOU, allowing five hits and fours runs in three innings pitched. Brock Cordes and Tyler Harper also stepped to the mound for the Mounties, with Cordes tossing three strikeouts but allowing four runs to score.
Seven different Warriors recorded an RBI on the day, led by Ryan Clay who finished with two. Artzer had great day at the plate as well, tallying three hits and scoring twice.
The Eastern Oregon bats where quiet for the majority of the ball game, with just Landeros and Mayfield recording one hit apiece for the visiting squad.
Game 2 – EOU 5, Corban 1
In the second game of the afternoon, first baseman Danny Burns drove an RBI single down the left-field line, claiming a 1-0 lead in the second inning for Eastern Oregon.
Shortstop Youhyeon Choi came up big in the sixth inning for the Mounties, crushing his first homer of the season and putting his team up 2-0.
Pellkofer launched the ball over the right field fence in the bottom of the sixth, cutting Corban's deficit to one score and marking his second home run of the season.
Choi continued to perform for the Mounties, singling to first and scoring third baseman Adrian Roa. The run would put Eastern back up two scores and make it a 3-1 game heading into the bottom of the eighth inning.
RBI base hits from Burns and Roa in the ninth clinched a 5-1 victory for Eastern Oregon, their second of the season and first in conference play.
Junior starter Bryce Bridge was credited with the loss after pitching all nine innings for the Warriors. Bridge allowed eight hits and five runs.
Mounties' starting pitcher Slayder Watterson controlled the game for 6.1 innings, earning his first win of the season after slinging seven strikeouts. Alex Farnswort was also impressive, closing the game out with just one run scored and picking up the save.
Ryan Clay was the Warriors' leader at the plate with two hits. Maris, Pellkofer, Bunn, and Ka'ahanui each chipped in with one hit apiece.
The Mounties had six total hits in the game, two of which were RBI knocks coming from Choi. Burns was impressive as well, tallying two hits of his own.
The Warriors and Mounties will meet again at Volcanoes Stadium for the second half of their four-game series. Sunday's games will have the Senior Day festivities for the Warriors squad and first pitch is set for 11am PDT.
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