LEWISTON, Idaho – Lewis Clark State College got off to a quick start to its 2011 season with a single run in the first inning and added there more unanswered runs before taking a 9-2 win over Concordia University in the season opener for both teams at the Red Lion Tournament on Thursday.

 

Concordia will play College of Idaho and Corban University in action on Friday and will close out the tournament against C of I on Sunday.

 

Braxton Miller hit a pair of home runs while right-fielder Gino Casini went 3-for-4 with four RBI to lead Lewis-Clark State offensively. Miller smacked a two-run home run in the third inning and then added a solo shot in the seventh to finish the game 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored.

 

Warrior leadoff hitter Kevin Lovelace set the table for the Warriors to take the early lead when he singled to open the bottom of the first. A ground out and a wild pitch helped him advance to third and Casini followed with his RBI single to right.

 

LCSC made it 3-0 in the bottom of the third when Casini smacked a two-out double to left-center field and Miller followed with his first home run. The Warriors made it 4-0 in the fourth with a one-out single to left and eventually scored on a double by Jason Hague to left-center field.

 

The Cavaliers cut the margin to 4-2 on a two-run homer to left-center by first baseman Sean Myrom after Riley Tubbs connected on a one-out single to center, but the Warriors instantly responded with four runs in the seventh to take an 8-2 lead.

 

Tubbs went 2-for-4 with a double in the first to post two of the teams eight hits. Josh Saio took the loss for the Cavs after pitching the first six frames. Saio struck out three and allowed four earned runs on seven hits. Tyson Kisselburg tossed the final two innings for CU, allowing five runs, four of which were earned, on four hits.

 

Cody Fassold earned the win for LCSC after lasting five innings. Jorge Sanchez picked up the save despite allowing the team’s only two runs.