Corban Sweeps Concordia in Saturday Doubleheader
GAME 1 - BOX SCORE
GAME 2 - BOX SCORE
PORTLAND, Ore.—With seemingly everything going their way, Corban swept Concordia in a baseball doubleheader on Saturday.
Corban took the first game 21-5, continuing where they let off on Friday when they beat the Cavs 14-2 in the first game of the series. Things got tighter in the second game, but Corban rallied with three runs in the top of the ninth to complete the sweep with a 5-2 win.
After the two games Saturday, Concordia stands 12-11 overall and 5-6 in the NAIA West. On the flip side, Corban now stands 13-8 overall and 5-6 in the NAIA West.
The teams will conclude the series tomorrow with a single game set to begin at 4 p.m.
GAME 1—CORBAN 21, CONCORDIA 5
In a game that will be remembered by both teams, but with opposite emotions, Corban ran away with a 21-5 victory over Concordia.
Ironically, Concordia started the game as good as they could have hoped for. The Cavs opened the scoring in the second, then tacked on three more runs in the third to head into the top of the fourth up 4-0. In addition, CU starter Eric Weir had been perfect through three innings and retired the first two batters in the top of the fourth.
However, that’s where it all came undone for the Cavs, as Corban rallied to score 11 runs before the end of the fourth. Colby Sokol started the rally, hitting a two-out double to right-center field that broke Weir’s perfect game. After that, the next 10 Corban batters reached with Cody Atkinson capping the rally with a three-run home run over the left-field fence. Atkinson’s home run was just the second hit in the new Hilken Community Stadium and the first over the left-field fence that stands 350 feet from home plate at the foul pole.
As if 11 runs weren’t enough, though , Corban rallied again in the top of the fifth, scoring six more to go up 17-4. A pair of Concordia errors helped the Warriors this time, as Concordia should have been done with the inning before any runs scored. Corban, however, took advantage of the Cavalier mistakes, with Sokol and Atkinson recording back-to-back two-RBI hits to hurt the Cavs once again.
Unfortunately for the Cavs, the bleeding didn’t stop there, either, as Corban tacked on four more in the top of the sixth. Sokol provided one last shot at the Cavs in the rally, singling to right field to score two more Corban runs.
By the end of the sixth, Corban had scored 21 unanswered runs from the fourth through the sixth with 16 of their 17 hits in the game coming in that stretch as well. Sokol went 4-for-4 during the stretch, while also scoring three runs and recording five runs batted in.
Earlier, Concordia opened the scoring with a single run in the second. CU catcher Ben Talbot delivered the RBI for the Cavs, hitting a double over the left fielder’s head to score Ryan Rodriguez. Concordia then scored three more runs in the third, with Carl Beckert starting the rally with a one-out double to left center. Sean Myrom followed Beckert’s at bat with a walk, before Jared Young brought Beckert home with a double to left center. Myrom also scored on the play, but only after Corban’s left fielder bobbled the ball in the outfield. Mike Cero then finished the rally with a single to right-center field that scored Young.
Concordia scored its final run of the game in the bottom of the ninth when Beckert hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Cameron Baker. Baker was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.
Overall, Corban outhit the Cavs 17-9 in the game, while Concordia recorded four errors to just one from Corban.
Individually, seven different Corban players scored more than one run in the game, while six players recorded multiple hits. Sokol finished 4-for-5 in the game, with Atkinson 2-for-3, Marc Gallegos 2-for-5 and Corban’s own Ryan Rodriguez 3-for-4.
No player recorded multiple hits in the game for the Cavs, though Young and Beckert each scored a run and recorded an RBI.
On the mound, Tyler Doornik settled down after his early trouble to get the win for Corban. Doornik pitched seven innings for the Warriors, giving up four runs off eight hits and a walk.
Weir, meanwhile, received the loss as the Cavaliers’ starter.
GAME 2—CORBAN 5, CONCORDIA 2
The Warriors completed the sweep with a 5-2 in the nightcap after scoring three runs in the top of the ninth.
The three runs in the top of the ninth broke what had been a 2-2 tie since the sixth inning. Colby Sokol led off the inning for Corban, hitting a single through the middle of the infield to continue his strong play on the day. Cody Atkinson followed Sokol with a sacrifice bunt, while Tyler Atkinson grounded out to short one batter later. Now with a runner on second and two outs, designated hitter Lance Foster came through with a clutch single to right center that scored the go-ahead run for Corban. The Warriors weren’t done yet, though, as Steven Blum followed Foster’s hit with a double, while catcher Kris Gokey followed Blum’s hit with another single up the middle. Gokey’s hit plated both Blum and Foster, giving the Warriors a 5-2 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Once in the bottom of the ninth, the Warriors’ Jacob Kopra retired the Cavs in order to seal the victory.
Concordia had had its chances to take the lead in the later innings, but stranded runners in the sixth, seventh and eighth. The Cavs probably had their best shot in the sixth when they had the bases loaded with only one out in the inning. However, after Nathan Douglas hit a sacrifice fly to center that tied the game, Jordan Keeker got caught stealing third to end the threat for the Cavs.
Concordia had the bases loaded in the bottom of the second too, but an inning-ending double play let Corban escape unscathed.
Corban had opened the scoring in their portion of the second, bringing two runs across to go up 2-0 early. Cody Atkinson led off the inning with a double, then came home off a two-out double from Blum. Blum then took advantage of a Concordia error during the next at bat to come home for the second run of the inning.
Concordia, meanwhile, opened its scoring with a single run in the fifth. Jimmy Sanchez provided the base-runner for the Cavs, as he reached on a one-out walk. Then, after the next CU batter flew out to right, Sanchez stole second during Carl Beckert’s at bat to give the Cavs a runner in scoring position. Now with an RBI chance, Beckert came through, sending a single to center that brought Sanchez home from second.
The game also featured strong performances from both starters, especially CU starter Jason Snodgrass. Snodgrass settled down after the trouble in the second to throw six-straight hitless innings for the Cavs. In the end, Snodgrass finished with eight innings pitched, only giving up two runs (one earned) off two hits and a walk, while striking out five.
Overall, Concordia actually outhit Corban 7-6 in the game, but left nine runners on base, while Corban left just four.
Individually, Blum finished the game 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI for Corban, while Keeker and Beckert each went 2-for-4 for the Cavs.
On the mound, Kopra picked up the win after pitching three innings of scoreless relief for Corban.
On the flip side, Jared Young received the loss, having given up the three runs in the ninth.