KEIZER, Ore. – After squeezing out a late-game comeback in the series' opener yesterday afternoon, the visiting Hustlin' Owls of Oregon Tech left very little doubt in their doubleheader sweep today at Volcanoes Stadium, picking up a 12-2 run-rule victory in game two of the four-game series before outscoring the Warriors 18-1 over the first five innings of game three and eventually settling for an 18-9 decision to complete the sweep of the three Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) matchups scheduled for this weekend.
"A tough day at the ballpark to say the least," Corban head coach Ryan Harris commented shortly after their doubleheader sweep by OIT. "A new opportunity presents itself tomorrow to salvage a game this weekend and redirect our momentum in a positive direction heading into next week's road trip.
Game 1 – Oregon Tech 12, Corban 2 (7 Innings)
The Hustlin' Owls (11-4, 4-2) brought their A-game to the field today and displayed their high-octane offense early with a two-run home run just two batters into game one, as rightfielder Julien Jones launched the first of three longballs for Tech in the first game of today's doubleheader to set the early tone.
In the bottom of the second, redshirt sophomore second baseman Ethan Ammerman cut into the Oregon Tech lead with an RBI single down the left field line that scored sophomore designated hitter Lucas Mertlich, but the Owls' offense fought back with at least a single runs in every subsequent inning before centerfielder Dane Bradshaw and catcher Tyler Horner uncorked their own home runs to enact the ten-run early finish despite an RBI double from Mertlich in the bottom of the seventh that made the contest 12-2, just one run shy of keeping the Warriors' hopes of a comeback alive.
Corban redshirt junior starting pitcher Josephan Gonzalez fell to 2-2 on the season after allowing six runs on five hits and walking seven Owls in 3.0 innings, while senior relief pitcher Casey Henderson and junior Tanner Martinez allowed four and two more runs, respectively. In total, the Warriors' pitching staff allowed 12 free passes to OIT hitters through the seven innings played in game two of their four-game set.
Oregon Tech's righthanded starter Isaac Hill picked up a complete game victory with just two earned runs and five hits against his 2025 resume, picking up four strikeouts along the way.
Mertlich was the only member of the Navy and Gold with multiple hits in game one of today's doubleheader, as he finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored. Ammerman, senior rightfielder Noah Owens, and junior shortstop Isaac Bateman picked up the only other base hits for Corban batters.
Despite ten hits in total for Tech's offense, only Horner was responsible for more than one base hit in his 2-for-3 outing, with the top three batters in the Owls' lineup combining for four hits, six RBI, and six runs scored. Bradshaw was the game one RBI lead with a trio off his three-run homer in the sixth.
Game 2 – Oregon Tech 18, Corban 9
Riding a ten-inning scoring streak into the top of the first inning of game three, the Owls kept their bats hot by putting a single run on the scoreboard to kick off the contest, but the Warriors answered right back with their own first-inning run after Bateman singled to left field to bring freshman courtesy runner Kellen Desbiens home from third base.
However, a towering home run by OIT first baseman Garrett Smith to lead off the second inning set the pace for the remainder of the contest, as the Owls would go on to tally eight runs in the top of the second alone and outpace the Navy and Gold 18-1 through five innings of play. In addition to Smith, Horner launched a mammoth homer of his own during their second inning scoring spree over the rightfield fence that cleared the neighboring highway and nearly reached the I-5 interstate some 20 yards past the bounds of Volcanoes Stadium property for his second bomb of the day.
Trailing by 17 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning after the Warriors finally held the Owls to their first scoreless inning in 15-straight frames, the offense finally roared to life and took advantage of numerous hit batsmen and some RBI singles before junior centerfielder Chase Elliott pulled Corban out of run-rule territory with a three-run shot over the leftfield fence to eventually conclude the scoring for the remainder of the nine-inning affair.
Warriors' junior starter Jackson Young was only able to complete 1.1 innings this evening after OIT secured eight runs off six hits and a walk against the Salem native, accepting his second loss of the season in the process. Five different bullpen arms saw action over the next 7.2 innings, with redshirt sophomore Eddie Gould representing the most effective pitcher in game two by completing 3.0 innings of relief without allowing a single run or hit while striking out a quartet of Owls.
Tech starting pitcher Landon Cheney didn't qualify for the win in today's start after going just 4.0 innings with a single run allowed off five hits and three walks, allowing relief pitcher Alex Rodriguez to pick up his third win on the year after the putting together the most dominant line of any reliever in 3.0 innings with a single base hit and walk allowed combined with two punchouts.
Elliott and redshirt junior catcher Joshua Miyazawa were both consistent at the plate with two base knocks apiece, while Elliott's offense from the bottom third of the lineup netted him three RBI and two runs scored.
Horner continued to mash against Corban pitching with a 3-for-4 performance in the third game of this weekend's series, tallying a trio of both runs scored and RBI to power the OIT lineup to their fourth-straight win after beginning conference play 0-2 overall. Shortstop Patrick Barry scored three runs from the leadoff spot atop the lineup card while Bradshaw lined up another three RBI on the basepaths.
Corban baseball will complete their series with OIT tomorrow morning at 11am with a single non-conference matchup separating the Warriors from an I-5 rivalry matchup next weekend in Eugene.
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