LEWISTON, Idaho – The Lewis-Clark State College baseball team captured the Guardian Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning Tournament championship on Sunday at Harris Field with a 14-3 victory over Central Washington University, as the Warriors avenged their Friday loss to the Wildcats.
Brian Corliss and Bobby Joe Tannehill both homered during a nine-run eighth inning that blew the game open for LCSC (7-1), and Cordell Greene earned the victory on the mound after allowing just one earned run in seven innings of work. The University of Washington transfer struck out six and did not walk a batter, and made pitches when he needed to despite allowing 10 hits.
The offensive output for the Warriors on Sunday against CWU (4-8) was in sharp contrast to the two-hit performance from Friday night, as LCSC rapped out 18 hits against five Wildcat pitchers to take the title.
Jeff Gonzales fell to 0-2 on the young season in taking the loss for Central Washington. He surrendered five runs (four earned) in 3.2 innings of work, but the Wildcats were within striking distance at 5-1 entering the eighth inning.
Will Thorp started the big inning for LCSC with a single, and Zach Holley moved him up 90 feet by legging out a bunt. Tariq Staton loaded the bases with a single of his own, and Thorp scored on a fielding error by Central Washington.
With the bases still loaded, Corliss took a 1-1 offering from CWU’s Davis Engel over the left-field fence for a grand slam and the first home run of his Lewis-Clark State career.
After the first out of the inning Stephan Adams, who drove in a run earlier in the game, started the rally up again with a single up the middle and moved up to second on a wild pitch. Tannehill greeted new pitcher Dean Neilson with a two-run homer to right-center, his first of the season.
Jake Shirley singled down the right field line to score Thorp to finish off the inning, which saw 14 Warrior batters come to the plate against three Central Washington pitchers.
Greene allowed hits in all but one of his seven innings, but clutched up in big spots to move through the Wildcat order. Sal Arena replaced him in the eighth and gave up a pair of runs on three hits, but retired the side in the ninth to finish off the weekend for LCSC.
The Warriors return to action on Friday when they begin a three-game series with Western Oregon at Harris Field.
