VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Six players drove in a run in to highlight a six-run first inning for the Lewis-Clark State College baseball team to help the NAIA's top-ranked team defeat the No. 4 team, University of British Columbia, 8-4 on Sunday.
The win improves LCSC to 33-3 on the season, while UBC, which dropped two of the three games to the Warriors during the weekend series, falls to 31-8. Five of those eight losses have been to LCSC this season.
Henry Buenrostro, who pitched four scoreless innings in relief on Saturday to pick up the win, earned his seventh save of the season on Sunday. The right-hander pitched the final 1.1 innings and allowed one hit, but struck out three. The seven saves tie him for third on LCSC's single-season save list with Justin Mace. Brian Parker holds the record with nine saves in 2007, while Mark Wooden had eight in 1986.
In his last eight outings, Buenrostro has not allowed an earned run in 15 innings and has picked up two wins and three saves.
LCSC starter Colby Hawk, a senior right-hander, picked up the win to improve to 6-0 on the season. He pitched 5.1 innings and allowed five hits, two walks and two runs. He also struck out one. Stephen Foster allowed three hits and two runs over the next two innings, while Zach Clanton pitched one-third of an inning before Buenrostro entered the game.
It was a much different story for UBC starter Brandon Kaye, who only retired one of the eight batters he faced. Kay, who threw a complete-game shutout in his last outing, allowed five hits and six runs, and he also walked two in his shortest stint this season.
The Warriors didn't need a big hit in the first inning, but rather put together a nice rally. Brian Gaylord opened the game with a walk and Josh Ashenbrenner followed with a single. After both moved up a base on a wild pitch, Brian Burke singled in Gaylord. The only out Kaye picked up actually scored a run as Pat Murray hit a sacrifice fly to score Ashenbrenner.
Trent Bridges, who has been swinging a hot bat of late, doubled to left-center to move Burke to third. Bryson Tajiri, who enjoyed his first three-hit game this season, followed with an RBI single, and Gino Casini's double down the left-field line scored Bridges. A walk to Connor Moore loaded the bases and meant the end for Kay. Reliever David Otterman came in and got Kawika Emsley-Pai to hit into a fielder's choice, which scored Tajiri with the inning's final run.
LCSC made it 7-0 in the sixth when Gaylord singled with one out and Ashenbrenner followed with a walk. Burke then singled up the middle to score Gaylord.
UBC finally got to Hawk in the bottom of the sixth for a paid of runs as Sammie Starr and Alex White had RBI doubles.
The Warriors picked up their final run in the seventh when Casini hit his second home run of the season.
UBC picked up its final two runs in the eight when a bases-loaded error allowed two runs to cross the plate.
Both teams collected 10 hits apiece in the game. After Tajiri, both Burke and Casini finished with two hits and two RBI apiece. Ashenbrenner extended his hit streak to nine straight games and now has 191 hits in his LCSC career and needs nine more to become the 10th Warrior with 200 hits.
LCSC will be in Salem, Ore., on Monday and Tuesday for a three-game series against Corban College. Monday's contest begins at 4 p.m. Corban is 11-29 overall, has been outscored 24-1 in two games by LCSC this season, and has lost 33 straight games to LCSC.
