EUGENE, Ore. – The Corban University Baseball team left 22 runners on base today in their series opening doubleheader against Bushnell University, allowing the Beacons to take 4-1 and 11-5 decisions to keep their own postseason hopes alive as the regular season enters the final three weeks of scheduled contests.
"I thought overall, we competed well today," stated Corban head coach Ryan Harris. "On the mound, defensively, and in the box, we just left a small village on bases and couldn't score. Ultimately, I want these guys to come out and give everything they got for 18 innings tomorrow. We have a great opportunity to salvage the series and build some momentum. But the time is now, and we must come ready to compete."
Game 1 – Bushnell 4, Corban 1
A trio of home runs is how the Beacons (21-18, 8-6) secured their game one victory, forcing the Warriors (9-28, 4-10) into making difficult decisions on the basepaths that ultimately cost them the opportunities they had to snag a game one victory.
Freshman starting pitcher Avery Williamson was charged with the loss after allowing three runs off seven hits in 5.0 innings of work while striking out a quartet of batters. Junior relief pitcher Same Greenhalgh saw a single run off two hits scored under his watch, while redshirt sophomore Joe Licari appeared for the final two outs with a strikeout and no baserunners.
After failing to escape the fifth inning, Beacons' starter Daniel Furman earned a no decision with a run and eight hits to his name, while reliever Trevor Hammond was credited with his sixth win of the season by blanking the Warriors despite allowing four hits in 2.2 innings. Closer. Alec Gums earned the save in a long 1.2 innings with a pair of punchouts.
Redshirt sophomore catcher Joshua Miyazawa was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate in game one, while three of the top four Corban batters in the lineup had multi-hit outings. Junior third baseman Ryan Clay, graduate student first baseman Nainoa Ka'ahanui, and freshman designated hitter Lucas Mertlich all had two hits in five plate appearances.
The Beacons' nine team hits compared to the 12 for Corban were largely represented by three hitters in specific, who accounted for six combined base hits. Designated hitter Jordan Wilson, leftfielder Isaiah Hart, and first baseman Cade Crist all had a pair of hits, with Crist's two homers accounting for a game-high three RBI.
Game 2 – Bushnell 11, Corban 5
A four-run opening inning for the Warriors thanks to a small ball showcase that saw for different scoring plays was eliminated in the second, third, and fourth innings when Bushnell would score eight runs and take their final lead of the afternoon. A solo bomb by Clay over the rightfield fence in the sixth stopped the bleeding for Corban, but enough damage had been done to allow the Beacons a day one sweep.
Warriors' sophomore starting pitcher Aidan Bray was tagged with the loss after permitting five runs off seven hits in 2.2 innings of work. Licari entered once again to allow five more runs, while senior relief pitcher Giovanni Cervantes was tagged for a run on three hits.
After a disastrous start by Beacons' Taige Yamane who recorded just a single out, southpaw Austin Wolfe entered and picked up the win by holding the Corban offense to just one run in 5.2 innings, with closer Max Chapman earning a 3.0 inning save when he entered in a four-run ball game.
Pellkofer and Ka'ahanui once again had multi-hit performances in game two, as the upperclassmen duo continue to make their final push for All-Conference nods in a pair of fantastic individual seasons thus far. Clay scored a pair of runs while himself and five other Warriors earned a single RBI.
Third baseman Chase Nye was 4-for-5 at the plate for the Beacons, while Furman tagged three balls as an outfielder in game two and scored two runs from the second spot in Bushnell's lineup. Three different members of the hometown squad had two RBI, while Wilson and courtesy runner Kai Keamo each scored three runs.
The two conference rivals will square once again tomorrow morning starting at 11am, as Corban looks to force a series split and keep their postseason hopes alive.
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