Adams does it again as Dixie State stops LCSC in final inning

4-6-08

ST. GEORGE, Utah - The good news for the Lewis-Clark State College baseball team is that it won't see Dixie State College's Brett Adams at the plate this season. 

The bad news is that they did on Sunday for the second straight day with the game on the line. And for the second straight day, the sophomore outfielder produced. 

Adams hit a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Rebels to an 8-7 win over the Warriors to hand LCSC back-to-back losses for the first time this season. Adams also had an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to win Saturday's game 10-9. 

For LCSC, now 29-4, it's the third time this season it has lost in the opponent's last at-bat. The Warriors' four losses all have been by one run. 

The last time LCSC had back-to-back loses was when they lost three in a row during 2006. LCSC ended the regular season with consecutive road losses to Gonzaga and Washington State, and then opened the Avista NAIA World Series with a loss. The Warriors, however, stormed back to win their next five straight and claim the Series title. 

LCSC also hasn't lost back-to-back one run games since the 2004 World Series. LCSC's last lost by more than one run came in last year's Super Regional when it fell to Azusa Pacific 16-5. 

LCSC junior pitcher Michael Guerrero also had his consecutive inning scoreless streak come to an end at 30. The 5-foot-11, 220-pound left-hander, who played at Fresno City Community College the last two years, gave up three runs in his Warrior debut on Feb. 10, but didn't allow a run during his next six outings, including complete-game shutouts of College of Idaho and British Columbia. 

On Sunday, he pitched his third straight complete game, but met with different results, including his first loss of the season to drop him to 5-1. Guerrero pitched 1.1 scoreless innings on Sunday before Dixie State put across two runs in the second inning. Despite holding Dixie State to seven hits, he gave up the game-winning double to Adams in the ninth.The eight runs and seven walks he issued were the most by an LCSC pitcher this season, although only four of the runs were earned. 

The Warriors jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Sunday when Brent Wyatt opened the game with a double and scored on a single by Brian Ward. In the second inning, the Warriors picked up two on Nic Benton's RBI single and a sacrifice fly RBI from Wyatt. 

Dixie State, 21-16 overall, scored two unearned runs in the second inning with the help of an error, but LCSC made it 4-2 in the top of the fifth on an RBI single from Kyle Greene. 

The Rebels answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning for a 5-4 lead. A single, three walks, and an error led to the big inning. 

After Dixie State picked up another run in the sixth, the Warriors cut the lead to 6-5 with a run in the seventh when Paul Martin walked and scored on a double by Sean Halton. 

After leaving the bases loaded in the eighth, the Warriors scored two runs in the top of the ninth for a 7-6 lead. Ward started the rally with a one-out walk and Lester doubled him in to tie the game with two outs. Chris Valencia followed with a double to right field to give LCSC the lead. 

Guerrero then retired the first two batters he faced in the ninth before giving up a walk and a single. Adams then hit his two-run double to right-center to end the game. 

Lester had three of LCSC's 13 hits and also drove in a run. Wyatt, Greene, and Ward finished with two hits apiece and one RBI. 

LCSC left 10 runners stranded in the game, while Dixie State left eight. 

The Warriors return to action on Tuesday when they play host to College of Idaho in a 4 p.m. doubleheader. The first game will be LCSC coach Ed Cheff's 2,000th game as the Warriors' coach.