LCSC baseball team falls 5-3 to UBC

 3-20-07

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Pitcher Will Morgan and the Lewis-Clark State College baseball team proved they are human after all on Tuesday. 

After pitching 26 scoreless innings this season, Morgan gave up three runs in the eighth inning to the University of British Columbia as the Warriors lost for only the second time this season in a 5-3 setback to the Thunderbirds. 

The loss was the first of the season to an NAIA school for LCSC, now 19-2 overall. LCSC’s previous loss came to Gonzaga in what turned out to be the championship game of the SPORT Banana Belt Tournament. 

Morgan entered the game with one out in the eighth inning and nobody on base. UBC, 6-8 overall, started its rally when Brett Murray was hit by a pitch and single and an error loaded the bases. Jon Syrnyk followed with a three-run double to center field for his second hit of the contest. 

LCSC answered with a run in the ninth when an error and a walk put two runners on. Beau Mills, however, grounded out into a double play. Jessie Mier singled in a run, but Paul Martin grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the game. 

Murray, who took the mound from third base with one out in the eighth inning, recorded his first win as a Thunderbird to go along with three saves this season. 

UBC jumped out to a 2-0 lead through two innings on an RBI single from catcher Brendan Kornberger and an RBI double from second baseman Craig Leebosh. Zach Evangelho got the Warriors on the board in the sixth, driving in a run on a fielder’s choice, then Jesse Roehl singled to right field to tie the game in the top of the eighth.  

The T-Birds used five pitchers, including freshmen Mark Hardy and Greg Chong, who combined to throw four hitless innings. The staff was helped by LCSC hitting into three doubleplays. 

Chris Schwinden started for L-C and allowed two runs off five hits and struck out five in six innings.  

“Even though we only had six hits, it was one of our best offensive approaches of the year against some pretty good pitching,” UBC coach Terry McKaig said. “Going into a game with two freshman at the top of the pitching rotation, you’d have to say this was a bit of a surprise, but I’m proud of the way our guys performed.”  

Mier, Roehl and Ikaika Lester each had two hits for L-C, while Kornberger was 3-for-4 for the T-Birds.  

The same two teams do battle at Nat Bailey Wednesday at 1 p.m., with the series wrapping up Thursday at noon.