Thanks to a combined seven home run performance Saturday, Menlo earned its 10th straight win and captured its third consecutive series with a double header sweep over Corban.
Menlo Sweeps Corban in Four-Game Series Behind Bosco's Offensive Outburst
BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2
ATHERTON, Calif. – Menlo's Jimmy Bosco turned in a 5-for-7 performance that included four home runs, nine runs scored, and 10 RBIs, as the host Oaks swept Corban Saturday, 15-9 & 20-6, en route to earning a four-game NAIA West sweep this weekend on Cartan Field.
Along with Bosco, Menlo (25-14, 14-6 NAIA West) combined to hit seven home runs with Daniel Comstock, Michael Brandi, and Ronnie Schivo providing power offensively.
In Game #1, Burke Seifrit would the start for Menlo allowing six earned runs on seven hits with a game-high three strikeouts before turning the ball over to a trio of relievers – Kaimi Haina, Eric Davila, and Alex Tenorio – that combined to allow three earned runs on six hits with Haina earning his first victory of the season. Menlo's James Jensen would get the start in Game #2 allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits in 5.0 innings of work en route to earning his fourth win of the year before the duo of Dustin Nakayama and Colton Heckerl held Corban to just one hit in a combined 4.0 innings of work.
For Corban (22-17, 8-12 NAIA West), Jordan Johansen was a combined 6-of-9 at the plate with five runs scored to go along with a combined four hits each from Derek Legg, Peter Martin, and Lathan Alger. The aforementioned trio would combine to drive in 10 of the Warriors' 15 runs, as Martin registered a team-high five RBIs.
In the opener, Daniel Gober would get the start allowing five runs (four earned) on three hits in 2.0 innings of work before a trio of Warrior relievers – Caleb Virtue, David Hull, and Bryce Watterud – would combine to allow 10 runs (eight earned) on 16 hits in 6.0 innings of work with Virtue suffering the loss in relief. Justin White would get the start for Corban in Game #2 allowing four earned runs on four hits in 1.0 innings of work to suffer his fifth loss of the year before four Warriors – Ransom Storm, Andy Thiessen, Hull, and Johansen – would allow a combined 16 earned runs on 17 hits in 7.0 innings of work.
GAME #1 — MENLO 15, CORBAN 9
In Saturday's opener, Corban would take the early lead (1-0) thanks to a sacrifice fly by Legg in the top of the first inning that scored Gregg Romero after he led off with a double.
Menlo would erase the visiting Warriors' lead quickly in the bottom of the first inning thanks to Bosco's first home run of the day via a three-run bomb over the left field fence giving the host Oaks a two-run lead (3-1).
In the bottom of the second inning, Menlo added to its lead on a sacrifice fly to center field by Mickey Phelps that scored Coleman Cox to push the Oaks' lead to three runs (4-1).
Corban would battle back to tie the game at 4-4 in the top of the third inning when Legg ripped a run-scoring single to left field that scored pinch-runner Jake Kunkel before Martin doubled down the left field line one batter later scoring Johansen and Legg to even the game.
After Menlo scored two runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 6-4 lead, Corban battled back two innings later to tie the game for the second and final time (6-6) thanks to a RBI fielder's choice by Martin before Alger ripped a run-scoring double to right field to knot the game once again.
Menlo would take the lead for good with four unanswered runs in the fifth and sixth innings that was highlighted by a pair of run-scoring hits by Comstock, while Brandi drove in the eventual game-winning run on a RBI single through the right side to put the host Oaks ahead by four runs (10-6).
In the top of the seventh inning, Martin would bring home Johansen on a ground out that pulled Corban within three runs (10-7) before Menlo took advantage of Bosco's second home run of the game via a two-run blast in the bottom of the seventh inning that put the game out of reach (12-7).
Corban would score two more runs in the eighth inning thanks to back-to-back singles by Romero and Johansen to pull within three runs (12-9) before Menlo closed out the game with three runs of its own in the eighth inning to capture the series with a 15-9 win.
Johansen would lead Corban's offense with a perfect 4-for-4 performance that included three runs scored, while Alger registered three hits in five at-bats to bring his three-game total to 8-for-10 this weekend against the Oaks.
Menlo would get a perfect 3-for-3 performance from Bosco that included five runs scored and five RBIs, while Comstock and John Bowling also registered three hits each in the win.
GAME #2 — MENLO 20, CORBAN 6
The weekend finale would be a dog-fight over the opening two innings, as Corban battled back to tie the game at 2-2 after its first two at-bats only to watch Menlo score eight runs in the bottom of the second inning to put the game away via a 10-2 lead.
Corban would get as close as two runs (8-6) in the top of the fifth inning thanks to four unanswered runs that were highlighted by Legg's run-scoring double in the top of the third inning.
Unfortunately, Menlo's offense would erupt once again in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings when the Oaks scored a combined 10 runs thanks to home runs by Schivo, Bosco, and Comstock for the final tally of 20-6.
Martin would lead the Warriors' offense with a 3-for-4 performance, while Johansen and Legg added two hits each for Corban.
Menlo would get a pair of three-hit performances from Bosco and Comstock, while Bosco scored four runs and added another five RBIs.
Corban will return to the diamond on Tuesday, April 9th, against Willamette in a single nine-inning game beginning at 4:00 p.m. on Warrior Field in Salem, while Menlo returns to action on Friday, April 12th, in a single game against Concordia beginning at 6:00 p.m. in Portland.