KEIZER, Ore. – The No. 8-ranked Lewis-Clark State College baseball team dropped a pair of one-run games to Corban University at Volcanoes Stadium on Saturday. The Warriors rallied late but fell 4-3 in 13 innings in the first game, and then were shutdown 2-1 in the second.
After pounding 25 hits and scoring 18 runs in sweeping the doubleheader with Corban on Friday, the Warriors struggled to produce at the plate on Saturday.
The loss brings Lewis-Clark State to 12-5 overall and 2-2 in NAIA West play, while Corban improves to 11-5 and 2-2.
In game one, LCSC’s bats were quiet early on, rallied for a run in the eighth and ninth, but returned to silence in extra innings.
Zach Holley connected on an RBI single to put the Warriors on the board in the fifth, but Corban answered in the bottom of the inning when it took advantage of an error, two walks, and a hit batsman to go ahead 3-1.
LCSC’s Jake Shirley hit his second home run of the season to cut the deficit to 3-2 in the eighth, and Stephan Adams hit a one-run single to right to tie the game in the ninth.
Adams’ game-tying hit might have been the game-winner were it not for a play at the plate just moments before. With runners on second and third, LCSC’s Kevin Hawk hit a line drive to left field. Cody Lavalli, who had led off the inning and reached on a Corban throwing error, tagged up and headed for home but was beat by the relay throw from the second baseman.
LCSC mustered just one hit during the four extra innings, and this allowed Corban’s Derek Legg the opportunity to hit a walk-off single in the 13th. Steven Kha, who led off with a double and was pushed to third with a sac bunt, scored the game-winning run.
Only four pitchers were used in the game, two per team.
Starters Garrett Wilson (LCSC) and Jacob Kopra both pitched very well but finished with no-decisions. Wilson went eight innings, surrendering eight hits and three runs (one earned) while striking out two. Kopra struck out two and gave up eight hits and three runs (two earned) in nine innings of work.
Corban reliever Caleb Virtue took the win, while Sal Arena was tabbed with the loss. Virtue surrendered just one hit and had three strikeouts in four scoreless innings, and Arena went 4 1/3 innings with five hits, a run, and four K’s.
In game two, starter Daniel Gober continued Corban’s strong pitching. He allowed just one run on seven hits in seven innings to earn the win. Ransom Storm kept the Warriors scoreless over the final two frames and picked up the save.
LCSC scored its only run in the first inning via Ryan Sells’ fourth home run of the year. Sells’ four blasts have come on the road in the last three days.
The home run might have been enough for the win were it not for the Warriors’ continued struggles on defense. Two infielder throwing errors led to a run for Corban in the third and seventh. Legg did the damage in the third with an RBI single, and Marc Gallegos drove in the game-winner in the seventh.
The result of the second game overshadowed the solid outing by Warrior pitcher Steve Thompson. Thompson threw 6 1/3 innings, striking out three and surrendering seven hits and no earned runs (two unearned).
After going 3-2 on their first road trip of the season, the Warriors will be back at home at Harris Field next week. They’ll open a four-game, three-day series against NAIA West member Menlo College on Friday.
