KEIZER, Ore. – Trailing by three runs entering the sixth inning, the Corban University Baseball team was able to salvage the four-game set with No. 7-ranked Lewis-Clark State College with a 9-8 comeback win in the day two opener before the visiting Warriors clinched the series with a 14-8 victory in the series finale.
"Game one, we had a fantastic team win," Navy and Gold head coach Ryan Harris explained. "We capitalized on our opportunities on offense at the start of the game. Despite having to go to the bullpen a little early, Sam came in and pitched great, and it gave us momentum with a chance to get back into the game. Just like last night, Luke has another opportunity with runners on and he came up clutch! Then Josh comes up with a great team at-bat to tie it up, and we took our lead when Brad came up and drove in the winning run. Nathan came in like he did last weekend and closed the door in dominant fashion."
Coach Harris continued with his final quote of the weekend by stating, "Game two was definitely frustrating. With an opportunity to split the weekend at the start of the game, the great start felt like it vanished after just one mistake in the third inning. Conference games hold a lot of weight, especially in this conference where only four teams go to the tournament. We just have to continue to be more resilient, and we'll learn from these games by getting back to work as we look to go to Canada next weekend."
Game 1 – CRB 9, #7 LC State 8
The nationally ranked Warriors (13-7, 3-1) kicked off game three of the series exactly how they started the first two games on Friday, as they scored two runs in the top of the second to take an early 2-0 lead.
However, Corban (6-19, 1-3) battled back in their own offensive half, scoring two runs without a single hit thanks to free passes and LC State unable to keep control of the Corban baserunners. Graduate student first baseman Nainoa Ka'ahanui singled up the middle to score senior centerfielder Brad Pellkofer from third after an RBI groundout by redshirt sophomore catcher Joshua Miyazawa provided the hometown Warriors with a 4-2 advantage through three innings of play.
Lewis-Clark State was able to tie up the ballgame on the very next inning, scoring on a sacrifice fly and RBI single. The pendulum swung back to Corban in the bottom of the fourth, with junior Ryan Clay singling through the right side to allow sophomore second baseman Brady Majewski to advance to home for a 5-4 lead.
Once again, LC State powered through the top of the fifth for yet another lead change, scoring four runs on an RBI double, back-to-back sacrifice flyballs, and a solo homer by leftfielder Carter Booth to take an 8-4 advantage.
Corban snuck a run in during the bottom of the sixth, but both teams grew relatively cold at the plate for the next two innings before the Navy and Gold completed the come-from-behind victory in the bottom of the eighth. Freshman pinch hitter Lucas Mertlich came into the game and blasted an RBI double into the leftfield corner to score their seventh run of the game, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Miyazawa to score senior shortstop Aidan Bunn from third and pull the Navy and Gold within a run.
With two outs now in the frame and the winning run just 90 feet away for Corban, Pellkofer drove a pitch straight up the middle of the infield to score Majewski as the go-ahead runner with the ninth inning right around the corner.
LC State drew a walk to open the inning and advanced him to second on the next at-bat but would see the tying run go no further as redshirt junior closer Nathan Findley entered to induce a back-to-back lineout and flyball to the outfield, picking up his second save of the season and ruining Lewis-Clark State's chances of a conference sweep.
Junior relief pitcher Sam Greenhalgh picked up his first win of the season after being relieved by Findley, walking four batters but allowing no hits, no runs, and a pair of strikeouts through 3.1 innings. Corban freshman starter Avery Williamson earned the no decision after accepting all eight runs and seven hits from LC State under his control, securing four strikeouts but walking four more.
After three Lewis-Clark State pitchers pitched a combination of the opening 5.2 innings, reliever Jace Hanson was credited with the loss following a three-run, one-hit outing with a walk and three punchouts.
Clay and Ka'ahanui led Corban with two hits apiece, with Clay earning two RBI to match leadoff hitter Miyazawa. Junior leftfielder Noah Owens scored a game-high three runs for Corban.
LC State's Booth led their offense with a multi-hit game one from the leadoff spot, while second baseman Pu'ukani De Sa finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Catcher Jack Sheward was the game leader in RBI count with a trio of them today.
Game 2 - #7 LC State 14, Corban 8
Game four of the series started in opposite fashion compared to the previous three games played at Volcanoes Stadium, with Corban taking the initial lead over the first two innings with Clay singling up the middle and two more runs coming across unearned on LCSC errors. Despite their lead, the Navy and Gold outfield got deked by the uncharacteristic Pacific Northwest sun in the middle of March, as they lost a bases-loaded pop up in the sun that allowed three LC State runs to score unearned and tie the contest with two-thirds of the game to still be played out.
The momentum created in the top of the third sparked four more Lewis-Clark State runs into the top of the fourth, as the costly mistakes for Corban continued to compound upon themselves and provide the nationally ranked Warriors with more help than they already have. Clay's RBI single to center in the bottom of the fourth broke the LC State scoring streak, but only temporarily as LCSC would go on to score seven more runs before the Navy and Gold's final opportunity in the bottom of the ninth.
Facing a ten-run deficit and only three outs remaining, Corban was able to double their score with a handful of ninth-inning singles, yet LC State used two pitching changes to clinch the series win and fend off another last-minute comeback bid by the home Warriors.
Corban junior starting pitcher Hayden Van Acker was unable to secure his first win of the season after allowing seven runs, only two of which were earned, with four hits and five walks issued and four strikeouts of LC State batters. The four-man bullpen of sophomore Trey Williams, redshirt sophomore Joe Licari, senior Bryce Bridge, and redshirt junior Nathan Findley all combined for the last 5.2 innings, and all surrendered at least one run against the visiting Warriors.
LC State starter Jadon Williamson earned his first decision this season by allowing four runs on four hits, walking four batters and striking out four. Relief pitcher Eli Takalo was the only other Lewis-Clark State pitcher to see runs scored under his watch the remainder of the game before reliever Brennen Farber came in to close the door in the bottom of the ninth.
Clay finished a perfect 3-for-3 in game four, adding two walks drawn, two RBI, and two runs scored to his totals. Pellkofer and Ka'ahanui both finished with multi-hit performances as well to lead the Corban offense all weekend long.
Booth was electric once again for LC State in the series finale from the leadoff spot, as he completed a three-hit and three-run outing while first baseman Jake Gish and third baseman Dominic Signorelli were beneficiaries of two-hit, two-run, and two-RBI executions.
Corban baseball hits the road next weekend for a four-game conference series north of the US border, as they'll travel to the University of British Columbia (16-9, 1-1) for their first doubleheader on Saturday, March 23rd at 1pm.
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