Corban became the fastest team in program history to register 29 victories, as the Warriors accomplished the feat in its 49th game this season thanks to a sweep Sunday against Simpson on Warrior Field in Salem.
Corban Ties All-Time Single-Season Wins Mark With Sweep of Simpson
BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2
SALEM, Ore. – With today's double header sweep, Corban University tied the program's single-season wins record with its 29th victory this year following a pair of wins over the visiting Redhawks of Simpson, 5-4 & 3-0, Sunday on Warrior Field.
Today's victory in the finale tied the Warriors with the 2002 team that also earned 29 wins in 52 games, as Corban guaranteed the first back-to-back winning seasons since the program was reinstated prior to the 1988 season.
Corban (29-20, 14-14 NAIA West) was led offensively by four different players – Kyle Kunkel, Peter Martin, Gregg Romero, and Jordan Johansen – with a combined three hits each, while Derek Legg and Landon Frost provided two hits each for the Warriors. Romero and Jeremiah Forrister would drive in a pair of runs for Corban, while Lathan Alger along with Martin and Kunkel scored two runs each on the afternoon.
Caleb Virtue went the distance in the opener for Corban allowing four runs (three earned) on 11 hits to go along with a game-high five strikeouts en route to picking up his fifth win of the season. In Game #2, Johansen would go the opening 6.0 innings allowing just two hits with a pair of K's before turning to the ball over to David Hull for the 3.0 innings. Johansen would pick up his second win of the year, while Hull earned his first save allowing just four hits during his time on the hill.
Simpson (3-38, 1-23 NAIA West) was led by Harold Adams and Dylan Mumford with three hits each on the day, while three other Redhawks – Kris Warner, Jonathan Ruiz, and Cameron Cole – tallied two hits each for the visiting team. Warner would drive in a team-high two runs for Simpson, while Cole scored a pair of runs in the opener.
Cameron Imhoff would get the start in Game #1 for Simpson allowing five earned runs on nine hits in 7.0 innings of work with a pair of strikeouts before Garrett Greenshaw pitched the final inning allowing just one hit. Joshua Graves went the opening 6.2 innings for Simpson in the finale allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits to go along with a game-high three K's before Greenshaw came for the final 1.1 innings, as he allowed just two hits.
GAME #1 — CORBAN 5, SIMPSON 4
Sunday's opener would see Corban get on the board early with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the first inning, as Martin brought home Legg on a triple to right center before Kunkel doubled to right center allowing Martin to score. Immediately following Kunkel's RBI double, junior William Koenig singled to right center to bring home Kunkel and handed the home team a three-run lead (3-0) after its first at-bat.
Neither team would score again until the bottom of the fifth inning when Corban plated a single run to increase its lead to four runs (4-0) thanks to a RBI single through the right side by Romero that scored Alger following his leadoff double to right field.
Simpson would put its first run of the weekend on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning when Tyler Provost lifted a sacrifice fly to deep left field with the bases loaded that allowed Warner to score and pulled the Redhawks within three runs (4-1).
One inning later, Simpson tacked on two more runs when Adams drove home pinch-runner Joshua Hooley on a ground out to second base before Warner singled to right field allowing Cole to score and cut the Redhawks' deficit to a single run (4-3).
Corban would add a much-needed insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning when Romero doubled down the right field line to bring home Alger, as the Warriors push their lead to two runs (5-3).
In the top of the ninth inning, Simpson would pull within a single run (5-4) thanks to a RBI fielder's choice by Warner. The visiting Redhawks would put runners on second and third with two outs, as Corban's defense was up to the challenge thanks to a diving stop by Johansen at third for the game's final out that helped preserve the one-run victory for the Warriors.
Romero, Johansen, and Martin each tallied two hits for Corban, while Romero drove in a pair of runs to go along with RBIs by Martin, Kunkel, and Koenig.
Simpson would get two hit performances from Adams, Mumford, and Ruiz to go along with a two RBI game by Warner.
GAME #2 — CORBAN 3, SIMPSON 0
This weekend's finale would be a pitcher's duel over the opening five-plus innings until Corban broke through in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Alex Bost drew a walk to leadoff the bottom of the sixth inning before Frost registered a bunt single that put runners at first and second. On a single by Romero, pinch-runner Jake Kunkel was caught in a rundown that resulted on Romero and Frost moving up an extra base. On a wild pitch during the next at-bat, Frost just beat the throw home to score the eventual game-winning run with a head-first slide that avoided the tag by Simpson's pitcher giving the home team a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Corban would add two more runs when Forrister ripped a seeing-eye single into centerfield that scored Martin and the elder Kunkel to put the Warriors ahead by three runs (3-0).
That was enough run support for Johansen and Hull, as the duo combined on Corban's third shutout of the weekend, as Simpson would not get a runner beyond second base over the final two innings.
A pair of two-hit performances by the elder Kunkel and Frost would lead the Warriors' offense, while Romero, Johansen, Legg, Martin, and Forrister would collect the other hits for Corban.
Simpson would get hits from six different players, as Elden Whisman, Provost, and Cole were each 1-for-3 at the plate in the finale.
Corban will return to the diamond on Thursday, April 25th, in a single non-conference game against NCAA Division III member George Fox beginning at 4:00 p.m. on Morse Field in Newberg.