Tony Flanagan went 2-for-4 for the Cavs in the opener against LCSC on Saturday.
LC State Pulls away Late for CU Sweep
GAME 1: BOX SCORE
GAME 2: BOX SCORE
Big Fourth Boosts Warriors to Win in Series Opener
PORTLAND, Ore.—Plating five runs in the fourth, Lewis-Clark State defeated Concordia 9-5 in non-conference baseball action held at the University of Portland’s Joe Etzel Field on Saturday.
With the win, LCSC, ranked No. 6, in the NAIA preseason poll, improved to 15-1 on the year while CU dropped to 3-10. LC State’s lone loss came at the hands of the Cavaliers on Feb. 13 when CU defeated LCSC 7-6 in Lewiston, Idaho.
The Warriors put two on the board early with three straight singles in the top of the first. Brian Burke drove in the first run with an RBI single to left and was followed by a sacrifice fly to the same area of the field to score Josh Ahenbrenner from third. CU starter Steven Taft avoided further damage by getting LCSC catcher Kawkia Emsley-Pie to groundout to second.
The Cavs got one run back in the third after a leadoff walk from Brady Miletich came around for a score on a Tony Flanagan dart to left-center field.
The Warriors, however, broke the game open with five runs in the fourth after connecting on five straight hits, including extra base shots from Ashenbrenner, Brian Gaylord and Pat Murray and a two-run homer to left by Burke.
In eth home half of the inning, Concordia managed to once again cut into the deficit by way of a two-run blast from designated hitter Sean Myrom, who sent the ball off the scoreboard in left field with Andrew Reid on first after striking a single to right field.
The two extra runs would all the Cavs would get off of LCSC starter Tyler Lichty the rest of the way before registering single runs off of reliever Cruickshank in the final two frames. Lichty lasted seven innings and struck out eight batters against one walk and five hits.
Reid struck for a solo home run in the eighth and Flanagan placed a double to left to score Tim Reavis, who reached on an error to first base, in the ninth for the 9-5 final.
Taft took the loss after lasting four innings. Jarrod Castrejon pitched the final five innings, allowing two runs on five hits.
The Warriors outhit the Cavaliers 16-8 with Brian Gaylord leading the way with a 4-of-5 performance at the plate.
Reid, Myrom and Flanagan each went 2-for-4 for CU.
LC State Pulls away Late for CU Sweep
PORTLAND, Ore.—Trailing into the sixth, Lewis-Clark State scored five unanswered runs in the final four innings to defeat Concordia 6-2 in the second game of a Saturday doubleheader played at the University of Portland’s Joe Etzel Field.
LCSC improved to 16-1 on the year while Concordia dropped to 3-11. The two teams will conclude the series with a single game on Sunday with an opening pitch set for 11 a.m.
After the Warriors took an early lead by way of a Jake Eccles home run to left-center field in the first, Concordia’s Tim Reavis belted a home run of his own with a runner on to give the Cavaliers its first lead of the day.
CU starter Andrew Reid held the Warriors without a run in the rest of his stint before being relieved in the top of the sixth where LCSC manufactured three runs, two of which were unearned, to retake the lead with the score 4-2.
The Cavs went down in order in the fifth and sixth innings while the Warriors were able to land single runs in the sixth and the top of the ninth.
Concordia was able to load the bases with a pair of outs already on the board in the final stand in the ninth, but LCSC reliever Henry Buenrostro picked up his second strikeout in his second inning of work to avoid any comeback attempt.
Cody Fassold earned the win after seven innings of work where he struck out eight batters while allowing four hits. Sean Myrom was charged with the loss with the four runs scored, two of which were unearned, in the decisive sixth inning.
The Warriors outhit the Cavaliers 9-8 with CU picking up four of its hits in the final two stanzas. Reavis went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run for the Cavs while Chris Jaime and Tyler Anderson also picked up a pair of hits.
Brian Burke and Gino Casini each went 2-for-5 for the Warriors.