Corban's Derek Legg was clutch at the plate driving half of the Warriors' runs Saturday against No. 8-ranked Lewis-Clark State, as he drove in the game-winning run in the opener and tied the finale with a RBI single.
Warriors "Legg" Out First-Ever Sweep Over Nationally-Ranked Lewis-Clark State
BOX SCORES — GAME 1 | GAME 2
KEIZER, Ore. – Corban University made history Saturday with its first-ever double header sweep over the NAIA's No. 8-ranked Lewis-Clark State thanks to a pair of hard-fought one-run victories, 4-3 in 13 innings and 2-1, Saturday at Volcanoes Stadium.
Corban (11-5, 2-2 NAIA West) went extra innings in the opener before grinding out a nail-biter in the finale, as Gregg Romero led the Warriors with a combined 5-for-9 performance to go along with multiple hit performances by five Corban players – Derek Legg, Lance Foster, Nate Williams, Marc Gallegos, and Jordan Johansen. Legg would drive in a team-high three runs for the Warriors, while Gallegos registered a pair of RBI and Romero drove in one runner.
On the mound for Corban, Jacob Kopra went the first 9.0 innings allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits before Caleb Virtue allowed just one hit over the final four innings to pick up his first win of the season. In the finale, Daniel Gober pitched the opening 7.0 innings allowing just one earned run on seven hits before Ransom Storm allowed just one hit over the final 2.0 innings to earn his second save of the year.
Lewis-Clark State (12-5, 2-2 NAIA West) got combined two-hit performance from Jake Shirley, Brady Steiger, Zach Holley, Kevin Hawk, and Stephan Adams. Sells and Shirley each hit home runs, while Adams and Holley drove in the other runs for the visiting Warriors.
In the opener, Garrett Wilson got the start for Lewis-Clark State allowing three runs (one earned) on eight hits in 8.0 innings of work before Sal Arena pitched the final 4.1 innings allowing one earned run on five hits to suffered the heart-breaking loss. Game #2 would see Steve Thompson get the start for L-C State allowing two unearned runs on seven hits before turning the ball over the Seth Haehl for the final five outs.
GAME #1 – CORBAN 4, LEWIS-CLARK STATE 3 (13 INNINGS)
Saturday's opener would begin as a pitcher's dual, as neither team scored until the fifth inning when Lewis-Clark State got on the board first thanks to a RBI single to center field by Holley that scored pinch-runner Kevin Knapp for an early 1-0 lead for the visiting Warriors.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Corban would answer back with three runs thanks to back-to-back bases loaded walks by Gallegos and Romero before Legg lifted a sacrifice fly into center field that scored Andy Hill resulting in a 3-1 lead for the host Warriors.
Corban would continue to hold the two-run lead until the top of the eighth inning when Shirley belted a one-out solo home run over the left field fence to bring Lewis-Clark State within a single run (3-2).
In the top of the ninth inning, Lewis-Clark State was handed a gift when Corban committed a throwing error to begin the at-bat before a double by Eric Peterson put runners at second and third with no outs. During the very next at-bat, Corban thought that its had executed a game-ending triple play when Hawk lined out to left field with the relay by Hill going to Gallegos, who thought that he had recorded the out at second before firing a rocket home to get L-C State's Cody Lavalli at home with the potential game-tying run. Unfortunately, the runner at second was not called out and the inning was extended enough to see Adams uncorked a perfectly placed single to right field that scored pinch-runner Tariq Staton from second to tie the game at 3-3.
Corban would not score in the bottom of the ninth inning, as the game went extra innings and the host Warriors had more than one chance to end the contest in their next few at-bats.
In the bottom of the 10th inning, Corban would load the bases with one out only to watch L-C State's Arena strike out the next two Warrior hitters to extend the game.
Two innings later, Corban would load the bases once again with one out only to watch LCSC get a foul out to first base and an ESPN-worthy game-saving diving play by its center fielder to continue to tied game.
In the bottom of the 13th inning, Corban would get a lead off double by Steven Kha before he moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Hill. Following back-to-back intentional walks that loaded the bases with one out, Legg nearly pulled off the unbelievable when he launched a ball into right field that nearly cleared the fence but was good enough for a game-ending, walk-off single that scored Kha and handed Corban its first win of the year over a ranked opponent, 4-3.
Romero led Corban's offense in the opener with a 3-for-5 performance, while Foster, Johansen, and Williams each collected two hits on the afternoon.
Hawk and Adams had two hits each for Lewis-Clark State, while Shirley, Brian Corliss, Steiger, and Peterson had the other hits for the visiting Warriors in Game #1.
GAME #2 – CORBAN 2, LEWIS-CLARK STATE 1
This weekend's finale would be a pitcher's dual as well even though Lewis-Clark State took the early lead on a solo home run by Sells over the left field fence in the top of the first inning, as Corban battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the third inning on a RBI single to left field by Legg that scored Gallegos making the score 1-1.
Neither team would score again until the bottom of the seventh inning when Hill reached on a throwing error by L-C State and then advanced to second before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior Marc Labarthe. Following a walk by Landon Frost, Gallegos ripped a single down the left field line that scored Hill and handed the host Warriors a 2-1 lead.
Lewis-Clark State was held scoreless in the top of the eighth inning, but the visiting Warriors nearly came back in their final at-bat when Holley led off with a single through the left side before he was thrown out on an attempted bunt by Sako Chapjian. After a walk by Kyle Blackwell put runners on first and second with one out, Corban's Storm got Bobby Joe Tannehill to ground into a game-ending 1-6-3 double play giving Corban a piece of history thanks to a 2-1 win.
Romero and Legg each had two hits for Corban, while four other Warriors – Gallegos, Foster, Johansen, and Hill – combined for the other four hits in the finale.
Eight different Lewis-Clark State players tallied hits in Game #2, as Sells drove in the Warriors' only run on his fourth long ball of the year.
Corban will return to the diamond on Friday, March 8th, against The College of Idaho in a NAIA West double header that begins at 12:00 p.m. (Mountain Standard Time) at Wolfe Field in Caldwell, Idaho.