Mike Cero had four hits and four RBIs in the doubleheader sweep
Concordia Completes 4-Game Sweep of Corban
PORTLAND, Ore. – Using four-run first innings in both contests, Concordia swept an NAIA West Region doubleheader 8-6 and 6-2 on Sunday at University of Portland’s Joe Etzel Field.
With the results, Concordia improved to 17-29 on the season and 10-22 in regional play while Corban fell to 9-42 overall and 4-27 in league action.
Concordia will return to action by traveling to face George Fox tomorrow afternoon in the regular season finale. Opening pitch is set for 2 p.m. in Newberg, Ore. The two teams will now wait for the announcement of the final qualifier for the NAIA West Region Tournament to be played at Menlo College in Atherton, Calif., from May 4-7.
Concordia 8, Corban 6
BOX SCORE
Jumping out to a quick start, the Cavaliers plated seven runs in the first two innings with a four-run first followed by a three-run second frame. Concordia used five singles – including a two-run base hit to center by Michael Cero – in the opening stanza to grab the early lead. The Cavs scored three runs on just one hit in the second after utilizing an error and a pair of hit batters to load the bases for Concordia.
With two outs on the board, Riley Tubbs notched an RBI with a hit-by-pitch to score Odie Hollingshed while Jared Young drove in a pair of runs with a single to center to score Curt Cosby and Sean Myrom.
Taking the mound in the third, Corban pitcher Jake Balbus shutdown the Cavalier attack by retiring five straight batters after giving up a single to initiate his outing. Concordia got to Balbus in the fifth with a single run on an RBI bunt single from Hollingshed with the bases loaded. Balbus got out of the jam in the next at bat with a groundout to shortstop, where Corban’s Trevor Winsor made a quick scoop and throw to beat the runner at first.
Corban got on the board with three runs in the sixth inning to break Concordia’s 21-inning shutout streak. After being hit by pitch, Kyle Taylor advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Jonathon Ramirez. He came in to score on another wild pitch, with Ramirez advancing all the way to third on the play following an errant throw by the catcher. With two outs, Kris Box and Tyler Lake walked to load the bases, and Sage Poland brought in a run with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch. Nate Hiebert followed with a single through the right side to score Corban’s third run of the contest.
The Warriors continued to inch closer in the late innings, scoring another run in the eighth to pull within four. Joshua Walker was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a groundout and scored on Poland’s single through the right side. Corban’s late rally continued in the final frame, as the Warriors scored two more runs to narrow the margin to 8-6. Brandon Hubbard doubled down the left field line and scored on Steven Blum’s single up the middle. Blum advanced to second on a wild pitch and reached third on Jonathan Ramirez’s single to right. He scored on Trevor Winsor’s groundout to short.
Cero and Young finished with three hits each to go with a pair of runs batted in, while Hollingshed added two hits and a couple runs scored for the Cavaliers. Hiebert tallied three hits for the Warriors, while Hubbard and Blum each added two. Josh O’Gorman threw eight innings for the Cavs to pick up the win, while Hiebert started for the Warriors and took the loss after yielding four earned runs in two innings pitched.
Concordia 6, Corban 2
BOX SCORE
The Cavaliers took advantage of three errors to score four runs in the first, and a pair of second-inning runs for Corban would prove to be Brett Ferguson’s only blemish on a complete game performance. Ferguson took the win after limiting Corban’s offense to two runs on seven hits in seven innings. Justin White started for Corban and earned the loss, giving up one earned run in 4.2 innings.
Hollingshed led off the first with a double to right center, and the next three batters reached on consecutive errors on the Corban third baseman. Hollingshed reached on Myrom’s grounder to third, and with one out and the bases loaded Tommy Whalen brought home a run after being hit by a pitch. Cero followed with a two-RBI single to left field as the Cavaliers took the early 4-0 lead.
Corban bounced back with a pair of runs on three hits in the top of the second inning. Ramirez and Winsor each singled to center, and Alex Bost walked to load the bases. Joshua Walker pinch hit and knocked a two-run single to right field to pull Corban to 4-2.
Concordia picked up a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Brady Miletich led off with a pinch-hit hit-by-pitch, and Andrew Duke pinch-ran over at first. Duke stole second and reached third on Mike Dickman’s sacrifice bunt. Tim Reavis walked to put runners at the corners and Hollinghsed drilled a triple over the right fielder’s head to score both runners and give the Cavaliers the 6-2 lead.
Hollingshed finished with two hits, two runs batted in and a run scored for Concordia, the only Cavalier with multiple hits. Winsor finished with a pair of hits for Corban in the contest. Concordia totaled six double plays in the two games, with four in the second contest, including the final outs of the game.