LACEY, Wash. – Sophomore Tyler Knigge and freshman Zach Clanton combined on a four-hitter while Paul Martin and Bryson Tajiri hit solo home runs, the latter in the top of the ninth inning, to help the Lewis-Clark State College baseball team to a 2-1 win over St. Martin’s on Sunday.
The win was a season-high 10th in a row for LCSC, now 21-6, and the Warriors have outscored opponents 90-22 over the win steak.
Knigge and Clanton, who improved to 2-0, were both outstanding. Knigge, who is from Lewiston, struck out nine in 6.1 innings and allowed only two hits and one unearned run. He also walked three. Clanton, who is one of LCSC’s closers, went 2.2 innings and allowed two hits. He didn’t strike out a batter, which ended the Warrior pitching staff’s streak of four consecutive games with at least 10 strikeouts.
During the win streak, the Warrior pitching staff has an ERA of less than 1.80 and helped the team improve to 10-1 this season in road games. LCSC also has won 17 of its last 18 games against St. Martin’s.
The Warrior offense only collected six hits on Sunday, which snapped a steaks of five straight games with 10-plus hits. Sean Halton (0-for-1) and Josh Ashenbrenner (0-for-2) had their nine- and eight-game hit streaks, respectively, snapped.
With just 12 hits total in the game, the Warriors made the only two extra-base hits count. With one out in the top of the seventh inning, Martin hit his second home run of the season, a shot to left field, that tied the game at 1. The home run gave Martin 10 RBI on the season.
Tajiri entered the game in the top of the ninth inning as a pinch-hitter for Halton, who leads the Warriors in home runs. Tajiri, who was only hitting 3-for-14 (.214) prior to that at bat, followed Martin’s lead with his second home run of the season, also to left field. Tajiri now has four RBI on the season.
St. Martin’s, now 13-16 overall, used four pitchers in the contest. Thomas DeBoer went 6.1 innings and allowed five hits and three walks, but also struck out three. He gave up Martin’s solo home run. Jeff Brooks retired all three batter he face, but Brock Peterson gave up Tajiri’s home run to take the loss. Kevin Jones then retired the final three batters for the Saints.
St. Martin’s only run came in the third inning when Ryan DiMascio singled, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. With two outs, DiMascio scored on another passed ball.
Outside of the two home runs, Brian Ward and Matt Allen had two singles apiece for LCSC.
