KEIZER, Ore. – A 5-0 lead following the fourth inning for the Corban University Baseball program was slowly chipped away at over the course of the final five frames today at Volcanoes Stadium, as the visiting Hustlin' Owls of Oregon Tech completed their comeback in the top of the eighth with a four-run inning to secure a 10-7 win against the Warriors in game one of their four-game series.
"Chris was outstanding again for us!" began Corban head coach Ryan Harris when asked to discuss today's result. "I'm very proud of him and his performance today. Our offense did a great job of being able to create opportunities and a couple guys were able to clutch up and deliver some big time extra base hits. Unfortunately, we gave up eight free bases in the final 2.2 innings and gave them the win. We've got games two and three tomorrow with an opportunity to win this series still very much on the table."
Corban (6-6, 2-2) kicked off the scoring in the bottom of the fourth after both starting pitchers had worked scoreless frames through three innings with a five-run frame, as redshirt junior catcher Joshua Miyazawa came up big with the bases loaded to clear them with a three-run triple, scoring on a double from sophomore designated hitter Lucas Mertlich on the very next at-bat. Two batters later, redshirt sophomore second baseman Ethan Ammerman hit a hard groundball out to shortstop to score Mertlich from third.
The Owls (9-4, 2-2) snagged a run back on the very next opportunity in the top of the fifth when third baseman Matthew Ortiz slashed a two-out single into right centerfield that scored first baseman Garrett Smith, yet Warriors' senior starting pitcher Chris Shaffer was able to induce a flyout on the next batter to hold OIT to just one run.
A scoreless sixth for Shaffer was retaliated in the seventh with four runs for Tech, as they cut their deficit to just a single run before Shaffer was able to escape without any further damage and keep his lead intact. Junior first baseman Peyton Rickard brought home a run in the bottom of the inning to double their lead back to a 6-4 advantage on the scoreboard.
However, the Navy and Gold bullpen was unable to lock up a victory for Shaffer after he departed through 7.0 innings of work with five strikeouts and just four earned runs against his ERA and one walk. A trio of Warrior relief pitchers allowed five eight free passes with five walks and three hit batters, providing the Owls with the momentum they needed to secure a three-run road victory within the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC).
OIT found a quality start from righthander Tim Williams to keep them within striking distance through 6.1 innings and six runs on seven hits and a pair of punchouts, while reliever Kaden Melzer allowed just one more Corban run on a pair of hits and a walk. Closer Riley Cronin was the winning pitcher in today's matchup after keeping the Warriors off the basepaths for the final 1.1 innings of play.
Rickard led off the lineup and secured two hits with an RBI and run scored, while Miyazawa, Mertlich, and junior centerfielder Chase Elliott all matched Rickard with two base hits of their own. Miyazawa was one of three student-athletes in this contest with at least three RBI.
Ortiz powered the Owls to victory from the leadoff position as well with two hits and a game-high four RBI, while catcher Tyler Horner tallied three RBI and a base hit. Shortstop Patrick Barry was the only student-athlete tonight that finished perfect at the plate, as he was 3-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored.
The Warriors and Owls will be back in action tomorrow afternoon for a conference doubleheader that's scheduled to begin at 3pm and 6pm within Volcanoes Stadium.
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