Senior Jamie McGraw recorded a pair of hits with an RBI, as Corban fell to Pacific tonight at Chuck Bafaro Stadium.
Pair of Corban Seniors Lead Warriors Against D-III Boxers
FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Seniors Jamie McGraw (Gaston, Ore.) and Darren Johnson (Vancouver, Wash.) each collected two hits and combined for three runs batted in, as Corban's baseball team fell to NCAA Division III member Pacific, 15-6, Tuesday at the brand-new Chuck Bafaro Stadium.
Tonight's game was a make-up game for Corban and Pacific from three weeks, as the Boxers' brand-new baseball facility was still not fully functional at the time of the originally scheduled contest.
The host Boxers began the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with a single run before pushing three more across in the bottom of the third inning to grab a 4-0 lead.
In the top of the fourth inning, Corban finally got on the board when the visiting Warriors plated five runs. Junior Craig Spicer (Vancouver, Wash.) began the frame with a walk before advancing to second via a ground out by sophomore Josh Warner (Independence, Ore.). The very next batter -- Johnson -- brought Spicer home with a single to right field. Two batters later, the Warrior had the bases loaded when freshman Kyle Taylor (Clackamas, Ore.) registered a two-run single up the middle that scored Johnson and junior Rondie Taylor (Clackamas, Ore.). Both Kyle Taylor and sophomore Cameron Meier (Salem, Ore.) advanced on a throwing error, as Meier scored from second on the Boxer miscue. With a runner on third, McGraw singled to short allowing Kyle Taylor to score the Warriors' fifth and final run of the inning.
Clinging to a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, Corban fell victim to five runs on five Boxer hits highlighted by Kyle Barkdale's two-run double to left field.
Pacific put another run across the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning before Corban scored its sixth and final run of the game in the top of the seventh inning. Spicer once again led off the Warriors' inning with a single through the left side before coming home on Johnson's double to left center with two outs.
The host Boxers put another five runs on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning for the game's final runs, as Pacific scored its runs on a Warrior throwing error by the third baseman, a triple to right center by Nick McNeely, and a double to left field by Barksdale.
Along with McGraw and Johnson's performances at the plate, five other Warriors -- freshman Nate Hiebert (Lebanon, Ore.), Spicer, freshman Taylor Wyatt (Dallas, Ore.), Kyle Taylor, and Warner -- recorded hits highlighted by Taylor's two-RBI single in the fourth inning.
Pitching-wise, Warner began on the hill for Corban going the first 2.0 innings allowing one unearned run on two hits before turning the ball over to a quartet of relievers. Junior Jason Braun (Dallas, Ore.), Hiebert, freshman Nathan Hickok (Sherwood, Ore.), and freshman Chris Trammell (Salem, Ore.) combined for six innings of work with Trammell picking up the Warriors' lone strikeout of the night.
Pacific was led offensively by Zach Gantenbein and McNeely, who each recorded three hits to go along with a pair of three-RBI performances by McNeely and Barksdale. The Boxers' pitching staff sent five pitchers to the mound with Ryne Miyamoto earning the win thanks to 1.2 innings in which he allowed no runs on a pair of Warrior hits.
With the loss, Corban falls to 7-19 overall, while Pacific improves to 16-13 on the season. The Warriors are back in action on Friday, April 11th, when they travel north to Vancouver, British Columbia for a 12:00 p.m. doubleheader contest against fellow NAIA Region I member British Columbia at Nat Bailey Stadium.