By MATT BREACH OF THE TRIBUNE

Warriors' flourish includes some D; L-C augments usual hitting prowess with solid play in the field
in win over Corban

  3-23-07

Anyone who has frequented Harris Field this season is hardly surprised to see Lewis-Clark State rack up massive offensive numbers. In fact, it's almost expected.

As a result, the Warriors' under-appreciated yet steady defense usually gets overlooked.

After Friday night's adroit performance, though, the D might have some trouble being so inconspicuous.

Sparked by a handful of defensive gems -- and their customary offensive outburst -- the Warriors blasted Corban College 12-2 in the opener of a three-game series.



(Chris Kissock to Donnie Ecker; picking off a Corban runner in the third)

"A lot of teams can hit the ball," L-C third baseman Beau Mills said. "But we take a lot of pride in playing good defense. ... Stuff like that picks you up."

The top-ranked Warriors needed a jolt after falling to British Columbia 5-3 on Tuesday. It was the club's first setback to an NAIA school this year.

"We were getting lazy and a little ahead of ourselves," said Mills, who torched Corban for four RBI on a trio of hits. "You can't take any team you play for granted."

The Warriors are now 20-2, which is one game ahead of the pace they set through 22 games last season.

Corban drops to 9-13-1.

Moreover, L-C has won 13 straight against the Salem, Ore., school -- the last loss coming in 1999.

L-C wasted little time showcasing its dominance, sending nine batters to plate in the first inning and surging to a 4-0 advantage. Mills, Ikaika Lester and Jesse Roehl all tallied run-scoring singles in the frame.

Corban answered in the second, when Craig Spicer lifted a solo home run to left field off L-C starter Chris Kissock. It was the first bomb and only the third earned run the junior right-hander has surrendered this year.

Kissock (6-0) responded, though, by kickstarting L-C's sterling defensive display.

With two out and two on in the third, Kissock whirled from his position on the mound toward second base, rifling a throw to second baseman Donnie Ecker to pick off Josh Warner (see photo above).

When Kissock pitches "there's so much electricity out there," Mills said. "... You get so excited."

LCSC's bats were lively in the bottom of the third, especially Roehl's. The senior lifted a two-run homer to the bleachers in left field.

That was followed by Mills' two-run single and Jesse Mier's RBI sac fly.

When the salvo was finally over, the Warriors had tallied six runs on five hits and forged a commanding 11-1 lead.

As rousing as that barrage was, Paul Martin's diving catch the following inning may have been more exhilarating. The sophomore left fielder lunged after a foul ball that seemed well out of reach, snagging it in the tip of his glove as he crashed into the grass.

"Martin is really athletic," L-C coach Ed Cheff said. "He's really a center fielder playing left."

Thompson, who serves as the Warriors' part-time center fielder and primary shortstop, came up with the next glittering exhibition.

He charged a slow grounder in the sixth, snagged the ball on a bad hop and gunned it to first base to record the second out of the inning.

"Thompson can flat-out make some plays," Cheff said.

Even L-C's reserves sparkled on D. Backup catcher Travis Georgius recorded the final out of the sixth inning when he whipped a perfect toss to first base to pick off Brett Timmerman.

"We take defense serious," Mills said. "There is nothing nonchalant about this program."

NOTES -- In his first appearance of the season, second baseman Donnie Ecker finished 0-for-3 at the plate while scoring a run. The junior transfer had missed the Warriors' previous outings due to academic issues that were resolved earlier in the week.

CORBAN LEWIS-CLARK ST.

ab r h bi ab r h bi

McGraw, cf 5 0 2 0 Thmpsn, ss 4 3 3 1

Warner, rf 5 0 1 0 Wyatt, cf 3 2 1 0

Heil, ss 4 1 1 0 Wholey, rf 1 0 0 0

Frantz, 1b 4 0 1 0 Mills, 3b 4 1 3 4

Timmerman, dh 2 0 0 0 Mier, c 3 0 1 2

Spicer, 2b 4 1 3 2 Georgius, c 1 0 0 0

Johnson, 3b 3 0 1 0 Lester, 1b 4 1 1 2

Schmidt, lf 3 0 0 0 Simmns, ph 1 0 0 0

Myers, ph 1 0 0 0 Martin, lf 2 1 1 0

Gausepohl, c 2 0 0 0 Briggs, lf 1 0 0 0

Flux, p 1 0 0 0 Roehl, rf 2 1 2 3

Epperson, rf 2 0 0 0

Ecker, ss 3 1 0 0

Rivera, dh 2 2 0 0

Totals 34 2 9 2 Totals 33 12 12 12

Corban 010 000 010--2 9 1

Lewis-Clark St. 416 010 00x--12 12 0

Corban ip h r er bb so

Timmerman (L, 2-4) 3 10 11 11 3 3

Flux 4 1 1 1 0 2

Fitchett 1 1 0 0 0 0

Lewis-Clark St. ip h r er bb so

Kissock (W, 6-0) 3 2 1 1 2 3

Parker 3 2 0 0 1 2

Duryea 1 1 0 0 0 1

Morgan 2 4 1 1 0 4

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Breach may be contacted at mbreach@lmtribune.com