Senior Jordan Emery registered his team-leading fifth victory of the season today, as Corban earned a season-ending split with the Cavaliers of Concordia.
Corban's Season Ends With Split Against Cavaliers of Concordia
SALEM, Ore. – Senior Jordan Emery (Salem, Ore.) pitched a complete game to go along with fellow seniors Jamie McGraw (Gaston, Ore.) and Scott Flux's (Salem, Ore.) two-RBI performances in the finale, as Corban's baseball team earned a doubleheader split, 0-1 & 7-3, with the Cavaliers of Concordia Sunday at Warrior Field.
With eight players playing their final games at Warrior Field, Corban came out wanting to see the seniors off with a victory. Unfortunately, the Warriors were unable to earn the doubleheader sweep but did end its 2008 season with a "W."
Game #1 - Concordia 1, Corban 0
In the opener, the fans were treated to a pitching dual between Corban junior Derek Stokes (Anchorage, Alaska) and Concordia's Ben Rue.
Neither team scored until the top of the fifth inning when Concordia's Shawn Turner opened the frame reaching base via an error before advancing an extra base on the over throw by the Warriors' third baseman. The very next batter -- Sean Strachan -- registered a bunt single back to the mound to move the runner up ninety feet before Roberto Reyes brought Turner home with a single to right field for the game's lone run.
Corban had numerous chances to tie the game with the Warriors' best chance coming in the seventh inning, as senior Daniel Flores (San Jose, Calif.) led off the frame with a single down the left field line only to get thrown out at second attempting to stretch the hit into a double and therefore ending an threat that Corban might have in its last at-bat.
Stokes went the distance on the hill for Corban, allowing one unearned run on 10 hits to go along with three strikeouts. The Warrior defense helped out the third-year pitcher, as Concordia stranded 10 runners over the seven innings.
Offensively, Flores led the Warriors with a 2-for-3 performance to go along with Flux and junior Owen Frasier (Vancouver, Wash.), who each registered a hit.
For Concordia, Reyes turned in a team-leading 3-for-4 performance at the plate to go along with Brad Himes and Strachan, who each recorded a pair of hits. Rue went the distance on the mound for the Cavaliers, allowing zero runs on four hits to go along with a game-high seven K's.
Game #2 - Corban 7, Concordia 3
Today's night cap was a completely different story, as both teams combined to score 10 runs on 15 hits that included a six-run, five-hit performance by the host Warriors in the bottom of the second inning.
Concordia got on the board first in the top of the second, as Casey McLeod led off the inning with a double to left center before Josh Mandin registered his third home run of the season -- a blast over the left field wall -- to give the visiting Cavaliers an early 2-0 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, Corban exploded for six runs as senior Darren Johnson (Vancouver, Wash.) led off with a walk before advancing to second on a Frasier single to the pitcher. Sophomore Mitch Riddle (Pullman, Wash.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases before McGraw roped a two-run double down the left field line that scored Johnson and Frasier and knotted the game at 2-all. Junior Justin Trammell (Salem, Ore.) then proceeded to bring home sophomore pinch runner John Kazmierski (Salem, Ore.) from third via a safety squeeze bunt to second base to give the Warriors a one-run lead (3-2). The very next batter -- junior Craig Spicer (Vancouver, Wash.) -- then registered a run-scoring single to short that allowed McGraw to score the eventual game-winning run. Flores was then hit by a pitch to load the bases once again before Flux singled through the left side to bring home Trammell and Spicer and end the day for the Cavaliers' starting pitcher, Kyle Corwin. Concordia reliever Myles Stratton came in and closed the book on the Warriors' scoring in the second inning, as he got the next two Corban batters out.
Corban struck again in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Spicer opened the frame with a single to center field before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Flores then moved the runner up ninety feet with a ground out to short before Johnson brought Spicer home one batter later with a single to left field.
In the top of the sixth inning, Concordia capped the game's scoring with a single run that was manufactured when Ryan Sussenguth walked, advanced to second via a stolen base, and then advanced to third on a McLeod single back to the mound. The very next batter -- Mandin -- drove in his third RBI of the game via a single to short that allowed Sussenguth to score from third for the Cavaliers' final run of the afternoon.
Offensively, Corban was led by Spicer and Frasier who each registered a pair of hits to go along with single hits by McGraw, Trammell, Flux, and Johnson. Emery went the distance on the mound for the Warriors, allowing three runs (all earned) on seven hits to go along with a game-high 10 strikeouts.
Concordia was led offensively by McLeod and Mandin, who each registered two hits, while Sussenguth, Tommy Whalen, and Sean Myrom collected a hit each. Corwin, who pitched the opening 1.1 innings for Concordia, allowed six runs (all earned) on five hits to go along with one K before turning the ball over to a trio of relievers. The Cavalier relievers combined to pitch the game's final 6.2 innings, allowing one earned run on three hits to go along with five strikeouts.
With the split, Corban ends its season at 10-31 overall, 7-17 in NAIA Region I play. Meanwhile, Concordia caps its 2008 season with an overall record of 16-24, 12-12 in NAIA Region I action.