Freshman Jacob Kopra picked up his second win of the season against The College of Idaho Friday afternoon via his first collegiate shut out.
Corban Splits Double Header With Ranked C of I
BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2
SALEM, Ore. – Freshman Jacob Kopra (Gresham, Ore.) pitched a complete game shutout in the opener to go along with sophomore Steven Blum's (Salem, Ore.) game-winning RBI double, as Corban's baseball team split a double header with the NAIA's No. 23-ranked The College of Idaho, 1-0 & 5-9, Friday afternoon at Warrior Field.
For the 12th straight season, Corban has recorded 10-or-more wins as the Warriors improved to 10-26 overall and 4-17 in NAIA West play. Meanwhile, The College of Idaho had its eight-game league winning streak snapped and moves to 24-10 overall and 14-4 in NAIA West action.
Kopra took the ball in the Game #1 and pitched a complete game five-hitter, while striking out a game-high five Coyote batters. Blum would be the lone Warrior to register more than three hits on the afternoon, as he went a combined 3-for-6 at the plate with one run scored and one run batted in.
GAME #1 – CORBAN 1, COLLEGE OF IDAHO 0
The opener was a pitching dual between Kopra and C of I's Ben Rosen, as neither team scored until the bottom of the sixth inning. Corban began with a two-out single to right field off the bat of freshman Craig Baker (Meridian, Idaho) before Blum unleashed a looping hit to left field that eluded a diving 'Yote fielder. In a swampy outfield, C of I's outfielder lost the ball in the mud allowing Baker to score all the way from first base for the eventual game-winning run.
Kopra would continue to dominate the nationally-ranked College of Idaho, as he did not allow a runner past second base until the top of the ninth inning when Jordan Lanman reached via an error before advancing to second on a 'Yote ground out. With two outs, The College of Idaho would get runners on first and second before Corban's defense settled down and got the game's final out en route to securing its first shut out of the season.
Along with Blum's 2-for-3 performance that included the game-winning RBI, six other Warriors – sophomore Jonathan Ramirez (New Britain, Conn.), junior Tyler Lake (Medford, Ore.), Baker, junior Trevor Winsor (Troutdale, Ore.), junior Steven Candelaria (Farmington, N.M.), and junior Kyle Taylor (Clackamas, Ore.) – registered a hit each in the victory. Kopra would pick up his third victory of the season via the first shut out of his young collegiate career.
The College of Idaho would get a 2-for-4 performance from Kyle Douglas, while Rosen went a complete game allowing one earned run on eight hits to go along with three K's.
GAME #2 – COLLEGE OF IDAHO 9, CORBAN 5
The finale would be a battle of the bats, as The College of Idaho scored first via a two-run home run by Izaac Garsez in the opening inning before plating another run in the top of the third thanks to Ray Santiago RBI ground out that gave the visiting 'Yotes an early three-run lead (3-0).
In the bottom of the third inning, Corban would get one run back via Ramirez's two-out solo home run over the left field wall that pulled the Warriors within two runs (3-1). The first-year Warrior's four-bagger was his team-high tying fourth of the season.
The College of Idaho would get the run back in the top of the fourth inning when pinch runner Hank Kvamme scored on a Warrior throwing error in an attempt to turn a double play that would have ended the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Corban erupted for three runs on four hits that included a bases loaded two-run single through the left side by junior Nate Hiebert (Lebanon, Ore.) that scored Blum and Taylor. After a C of I pitching change, senior Josh Warner (Independence, Ore.) roped a single to left field that once again loaded the bases. Ramirez would waste no time in registering his 19th RBI of the season via a fielder's choice that allowed junior Luke Balbas (Boise, Idaho) to score from third and knotted things at 4-4.
The College of Idaho would score five runs on four hits in the top of the fifth inning, as Santiago, Jarel Lewis, and Lanman each registered a run batted in to go along with a pair of runs via wild pitches by Corban's staff. At the conclusion of all the mayhem that included a pair of injury time outs, The College of Idaho held a 9-4 lead with two-and-a-half innings remaining.
Corban would get one run back in the bottom of the sixth inning when Hiebert drove in his game-high third run of the game via a single to right center that scored Winsor from second following his lead-off double down the left field line.
Unfortunately, the Warriors' offense would stop there as The College of Idaho's pitching staff would help the visiting 'Yotes to their 24th win of the season and first this season against Corban.
Hiebert was the lone Warrior to record more than one hit, as he went 2-for-3 with three runs batted in. Meanwhile, freshman Jake Balbas (Meridian, Idaho) went the opening 4.1 innings for Corban allowing nine runs (five earned) on eight hits to go along with a game-high four strikeouts. Junior Chris Trammell (Salem, Ore.) would take the ball from Balbas for the final 2.2 innings allowing a mere one hit with one K.
The College of Idaho got a 2-for-3 performance with one run scored from Jye Lanphere before he left with an hip injury after slipping on home plate in the 'Yotes' five-run fifth inning. Levi Mitchum went the opening 3.1 innings for C of I allowing four earned runs on five hits to go along with three strikeouts. Mitchell Dame would pitch 1.2 innings in relief en route to picking up his third victory of the season before Chad Yeggy pitched the final 2.0 innings allowing one earned run on three hits.
These same two teams will wrap up its four-game series on Warrior Field tomorrow – Saturday, April 10th – in a late-morning double header beginning at 11:00 a.m.