KEIZER, Ore. – A 38-run affair between the Corban University Baseball team and crosstown NCAA DIII rival Willamette University finally came to a finish nearly four and a half hours after their midweek matchup kicked off at 7pm, where the Warriors were able to even their three-game non-conference series with the Bearcats thanks a topsy-turvy 20-18 Tuesday night victory.
"Absolutely wild midweek game," Warriors' head coach Ryan Harris shared following their marathon contest with the Bearcats. "A lot of guys got opportunities and I'm incredibly proud of the team-first mentality we had today. We created a lot of opportunities on offense, and their mentality never wavered. Playing in the elements is never an easy task for pitchers and the defense, but we found a way."
Serving as the road team in their home facility of Volcanoes Stadium for the first time all season this evening, the Warriors (10-27) were able to pick up their tenth win of the season in a bullpen contest for Corban, as Coach Covalt sent seven different pitchers to the mound in their nine-inning matchup and eventually was able to complete their Tuesday evening with a wild comeback bid over the Bearcats (9-14).
From the bottom of the second to the top of the sixth inning, both Corban and Willamette scored at least one run apiece to quickly jack up the score with the Navy and Gold clinging to a 14-9 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh, with the third four half innings all resulting in an even three runs for the offense rounding the basepaths.
However, in the bottom of the seventh, the Bearcats rattled off seven-straight runs with just a single out on a pair of sacrifice flies before the Warriors were finally able to stop the bleeding once the third hitter of the inning had come back around to bat again. What was once a five-run lead was now a two-run deficit.
Corban was able to knot the game up at 16-all in the top of the eighth thanks to some chaos n the bases, yet Willamette replicated the Warriors same success offensively themselves the very next frame to lead 18-16 entering the final inning of regulation.
After a fly out to centerfield started the top of the ninth, junior pinch hitter Michon Cole drew a walk and following a walk issued to redshirt sophomore second baseman Ethan Ammerman, found himself just 90 feet away with Ammerman representing the tying run at second thanks to a wild pitch from the Bearcats' bullpen. Another wild pitch and a bases loaded walk tied the contest up for Corban, which senior third baseman Ryan Clay was able to put the finishing touches on a comeback win via his sacrifice fly to center to score junior centerfielder Chase Elliott.
Junior shortstop Peyton Rickard drove in senior leftfielder Fran Gross later in the frame for an extra insurance run and gave senior reliver Sam Greenhalgh with a little extra stability as he reentered to pitch the ninth. Greenhalgh quickly induced a flyball to center and buckled the second batter with a backwards strikeout, and after a brief walk was issued with two outs, he struck out the fourth batter of the frame looking to conclude the contest and earn the first win on his record of the 2025 season.
Six different Corban bullpen pitchers tossed varying lengths today through the opening 7.1 innings before Greenhalgh powered the Warriors across the finish line over most of the eighth and complete ninth innings, with junior Casey Henderson earning the start and allowing three earned runs on three walks and four hits in 1.2 innings pitched.
Bearcats' starter Brandon Goodell lasted a full 3.0 innings before being pulled with three earned runs on five hits and a trio of walks on his record despite striking out a game-high four batters. Six more Willamette bullpen arms came to the rescue over the last 6.0 innings, with relief pitcher Cameron Hayman being charged with the loss after allowing all four of the runs to score earned in the ninth inning comeback by Corban,
Rickard was unstoppable at the plate this evening for the Navy and Gold, as he finished 4-for-6 with a game-high four RBI and a run scored while Gross scored an impressive six runs from the leadoff spot of the lineup after cashing in on two hits and four walks drawn. Elliott had three RBI and four runs scored, while Ammerman also crossed home plate four separate times.
Two different Bearcats were 4-for-6 in the second of three midweek rivalry games with the Warriors, as centerfielder Nate Hamburger and first baseman Charlie Ferbert performed well from the leadoff and sixth spot in Willamette's lineup, respectively. Hamburger logged four RBI and three runs scored, while Ferbert logged a pair of both RBI and runs.
The Corban baseball program hits the road for the final three weekends of the regular season beginning this upcoming Saturday, April 12th as they travel to Eastern Oregon University (9-28, 5-20) with 1/4pm first pitch times scheduled for their first of two conference doubleheaders.
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