Junior Steven Candelaria capped a three-run ninth inning via a walk-off sacrifice fly, as Corban snapped a nine-game losing streak with a come-from-behind victory over rival Concordia on Wednesday.
Candelaria Caps Corban's Comeback Against Rival Cavaliers of Concordia
BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2
SALEM, Ore. – Junior Steven Candelaria's (Farmington, N.M.) walk-off sacrifice fly ended an extra inning affair in the night cap, as Corban's baseball team split a make-up double header with rival Concordia, 2-7 & 4-3 in nine innings, Wednesday afternoon on Warrior Field.
With today's result, Corban moves to 9-25 overal and 3-16 in NAIA West play. Meanwhile, Concordia finds itself at 7-17 overall and 4-8 in league action.
Along with Candelaria's game-ending heroics, fellow junior Tyler Lake (Medford, Ore.) went a combined 4-for-8 at the plate to go along with sophomore Jonathan Ramirez's (New Britain, Conn.) combined 3-for-7 performance that included one runs scored.
GAME #1 – CONCORDIA 7, CORBAN 2
In the opener, Corban scored first in the bottom of the second inning when freshman Kris Bos (Jerome, Idaho) registered a bases loaded RBI ground out that scored junior Luke Balbas (Boise, Idaho) after he reached base via a hit by pitch.
One inning later, Concordia erupted for four runs on seven singles in the top of the fourth that resulted in a 4-1 lead for the visiting Cavaliers. Concordia got four infield hits that included a lead-off bunt by Mike Dickman before he scored Concordia's first run on a bases loaded two-run single down the left field line by Tommy Whalen two batters later.
Concordia would get a solo home run over the right field wall by Andrew Reid in the top of the fifth inning that pushed the visiting Cavaliers' lead to four runs (5-1).
Trailing in the bottom of the fifth inning, Corban would get one run back via a two-out solo home run by junior Trevor Winsor (Troutdale, Ore.) that landed on the other side of the wall in left-center field. Winsor's fifth home run of the season would pull the Warriors back to within three runs (5-2).
Unfortunately, Concordia would plate another two runs in the top of the sixth inning via a two-run single to left field by Reid that scored Curt Cosby and Tyler Anderson for the game's final runs and the ending score of 7-2.
Lake and Winsor would lead Corban's offense with a pair of two-hit performances, while freshman Craig Baker (Meridian, Idaho) went the opening 5.0 innings for the Warriors allowing five earned runs on 10 hits before turning the ball over to fellow freshman David Hull (Kelso, Wash.) for the final six outs.
Concordia would get a 3-for-4 performance from Reid that included two runs scored and three runs batted in, while Tyson Kisselburg went the distance allowing two earned runs on seven hits to go along with a game-high tying four strikeouts.
GAME #2 – CORBAN 4, CONCORDIA 3 (9 INNINGS)
The finale of today's double header was a completely different story, as neither team scored until the fourth inning when Concordia plated an unearned run on Sean Myrom's RBI single to center field that allowed Tim Reavis to score after he reached on a Warrior throwing error.
Corban would comeback in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game at 1-1 thanks to senior Josh Warner's (Independence, Ore.) bases loaded sacrifice bunt that brought home Candelaria following his lead off walk.
Neither team would score again until the ninth inning when Concordia plated two runs on a Tony Flanagan single up the middle that scored pinch runner Odie Hollingshed before Ryan Kolstad's pinch hit single to center field brought Flanagan home for the visiting Cavaliers' final run making the score 3-1.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Warner led off with a double to left field before Ramirez singled down the right field line allowing Warner to move to third. The Warriors' next batter – Lake – would lay down a perfectly placed bunt that hugged the third base line and forced Concordia's third baseman to make a hurry-up throw that resulted in an error allowing Warner to score from third and every other runner to move up one base with no outs. Sophomore Steven Blum (Salem, Ore.) would bring home the tying run on a ground out to first base, as the second-year Warrior nearly beat out the play that brought Ramirez home. Following a walk to Baker, Concordia made a pitching change bringing in left-handed closer Zac Manor to face the right-handed batting Candelaria. The first-year Warrior would take the second pitch that he saw and hit a deep enough fly ball to left field that allowed freshman pinch runner Kyle Kunkel (Bremerton, Wash.) enough time to score the game-winning run from third base that ended Corban's nine-game losing streak in dramatic fashion.
Ramirez and Lake would lead Corban's bat-attack with a pair of two-hit performances, while Winsor took the hill for the opening 7.0 innings for the Warriors allowing one unearned run on three hits with a game-high tying six strikeouts. Junior Nate Hiebert (Lebanon, Ore.) would take the mound for the final 2.0 innings allowing two earned runs on four hits, but would secure his team-high fourth win of the season thanks to Corban's fifth come-from-behind victory this year.
Concordia got a 3-for-4 performance from Flanagan that included one run scored and one run batted in, while Josh O'Gorman went 8.1 innings for the visiting Cavaliers allowing four runs (one earned) on eight hits with a game-high tying six strikeouts. O'Gorman would turn the ball over to Manor, who would get one out before Candelaria ended the game and handed O'Gorman his fourth loss of the season.
Corban will return to the diamond on Friday, April 9th, for a double header against the NAIA's No. 23-ranked Coyotes of The College of Idaho beginning at noon on Warrior Field.