Junior Nick Stiltner picked up his second win of the season, as he pitched a complete game shut out against The College of Idaho Saturday in the finale.
Stiltner Pitches Corban to Split With Coyotes
BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2
KEIZER, Ore. – Junior Nick Stiltner (Eugene, Ore.) pitched Corban's first shut out of the season in Game #2, as the Warriors' baseball team earned a much-needed split with The College of Idaho, 0-9 & 4-0, Saturday at Volcanoes Stadium.
After dropping the first game, Stiltner and Corban came back in the finale and put four runs on the board on seven hits that included a two-run home run by senior Kyle Taylor (Clackamas, Ore.) and a solo home run by fellow senior Nate Hiebert (Lebanon, Ore.). Stiltner would go the distance allowing five Coyote hits, while striking out a game-high five C of I batters.
GAME #1 – COLLEGE OF IDAHO 9, CORBAN 0
In the opener, The College of Idaho got a combined shut out from four different pitchers and the Coyotes put three quick runs on the board in the top of the first inning via a two-run home run by Izaac Garsez and a RBI single by Gavin Gamboa en route to earning a nine-run win.
C of I added single runs in the top of the fourth, fifth, and seventh innings to go along with a three-spot in the top of the sixth inning for the final tally of 9-0.
Four different Corban players – Taylor, junior Steven Blum (Salem, Ore.), sophomore Alex Bost (San Jose, Calif.), and sophomore Matt Hamlin (Hamilton, Mt.) – registered hits, while sophomore Jake Balbas (Meridian, Idaho) suffered the loss going the opening 3.1 innings allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits before turning the ball over to a trio of relievers.
The College of Idaho got a 3-for-4 performance from Tanner Hodges with two runs scored and two RBI, while Garsez and Jarel Lewis each drove in two runs. Jesse Vermillion picked up the win going the opening 7.0 innings allowing just four hits with a game-high four strikeouts before three Coyote relievers held the Warriors without a hit over the final two innings en route to securing the win.
GAME #2 – CORBAN 4, COLLEGE OF IDAHO 0
The finale was a complete different story for Corban, as the Warriors plated two runs in the bottom of the first inning on Taylor's second home run of the season via a blast over the left field fence that handed the home team an early 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third inning, Hiebert led off with his second home run of the series via a solo shot over the left field fence for a 3-0 Corban lead after three innings of play.
Sophomore Kyle Kunkel (Bremerton, Wash.) would put another Warrior run on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning when he drove home senior Aarason Perry (Susanville, Calif.) with a single up the middle that capped the game's scoring.
The College of Idaho would have a chance to get on the board in both the second and fourth inning with a runner at third, but both times the Coyotes were unable to get the run home en route to Corban picking up its first shut out of the season.
Taylor led the Warriors' offense with a perfect 3-for-3 performance that included one run scored and two RBI, while Hiebert, junior Jared Fritz (Ridgefield, Wash.), Hamlin, and Kunkel also registered hits for Corban. Stiltner went the distance en route to picking up his second win of the season, as Corban snapped a 14-game losing streak at the hands of The College of Idaho.
Once again, C of I was led offensively by Hodges with a 2-for-3 showing to go along with a 5.0 inning outing by Chad Yeggy in which he allowed four earned runs on six hits before turning the ball over to a pair of C of I relievers.
With today's split, Corban moves to 7-26 overall and 2-15 in NAIA West play. Meanwhile, The College of Idaho sees its record go to 22-14 overall and 10-10 in league games. The Warriors will be back in action on Tuesday, April 12th, against the Cavaliers of Concordia in a double header beginning at 1:00 p.m.
NOTE: Tuesday's field location is still to be determined pending the weather over the next few days. If Warrior Field is still unplayable then the games will probably take place at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer. Stay tuned to GoWarriorsGo.com for further details, as they are released by Corban's coaching staff and administration.