Menlo Beats Corban, Earns Baseball Series Split

3/15/2014 2:59:37 PM

SALEM – Kyer Vega pitched seven strong innings and Mickey Phelps hit a decisive three-run homer in the top of the fifth inning Saturday to lead the visiting Menlo Oaks to a 7-4 NAIA West baseball victory over Corban at Warrior Field.

With the win, Menlo earns a split of the four-game NAIA West series and improves its overall record to 10-14 and its league mark to 3-5. Corban is now 13-10 overall and 5-3 in the league.

Vega, a lanky right-hander, limited the Warriors to one run on four hits in seven innings. He walked three and struck out four to improve his season record to 1-1.

Corban did the majority of its damage against reliever Marcus Fukuhara, touching him for three runs on three hits in the bottom of the eighth. Colton Heckerl finished the inning in place of Fukuhara, and Dan Grazzini closed out the ninth for his first save of the season.

The Oaks got to Corban left-handed starter Daniel Aranda for two runs on six hits in four innings. They added three more in the fifth and two in the sixth against a pair of relievers before left-hander Tony Davidson entered the game in the sixth and finished up. In 3 2/3 innings Davidson allowed no runs on three hits while striking out four.

Menlo led 2-1 when Phelps delivered the big hit of the game in the fifth inning. With one out and a runner on first, Nick Quejado was jammed on a pitch but got enough of it to drop it over the head of Corban third baseman Vince Gonzalez for an infield single. After a fly ball for the second out, Phelps hit a drive over the fence in left-centerfield. The Oaks added two more runs in the sixth on a RBI triple by Sam Shapiro and a run-scoring base hit by Alex Boucher.

The Warriors scored their first run in the fourth inning on Stockton Taylor's RBI single, and they made things interesting with three more in the eighth. Daniel Orr led off with a double and advanced to third when the right fielder misplayed the ball. Davis Alderman followed with a single into right field, cutting Corban's deficit to 7-2. Ben Straka and Gregg Romero followed with base hits to load the bases with two out, and Gonzalez drove a two-out, two-run single through the middle of the infield to make the score 7-4. With two runners on base Marc Gallegos roped a line drive at the left fielder for the final out of the inning.

Grazzini entered the game in the ninth and hit a batter before finishing for the save.

Menlo finished with 12 hits including a 3-for-3 performance by James Threw. Shapiro had a double and triple and drove in two runs from the No. 9 spot in the lineup.

Corban finished with nine hits including two apiece from Orr and Straka.

The Warriors return to action at 4 p.m. next Tuesday, March 18, when they host the Pacific Boxers in a non-league game.