KEIZER, Ore. – For the third and fourth times this weekend, the Corban University Baseball team played out two more run-rule shortened contests against Simpson University, as they throttled the Red Hawks once again in game one of today's doubleheader 15-5 before dropping the series' finale 11-1 in an originally scheduled seven-inning contest. After sweeping their opening day matchups, the Warriors conclude the weekend with a 3-1 record against a Simpson squad that was originally 2-2 entering the week.
"I thought the pitching performances from Jackson and Sam were fantastic in game one, especially playing in the elements," Corban head coach Ryan Harris explained. "Being able to go out and compete in rain and hail is a special talent and those two did a fantastic job. I thought our offense stuck with our identity and play style like yesterday and allowed the whole lineup to have an opportunity to score runs and executed."
When asked to discuss what went wrong in game four of the series, Coach Harris shared, "Simpson made defense adjustments and took away some opportunities early, and they also scored first and continued to shut us down. All in all, this game showed us what we need to work on this week as we prepare for our next series. Very proud of our guys winning this series and look forward to making the right adjustments and preparing for a top ten opponent this week."
Game 1 – Corban 15, Simpson 5 (8 Innings)
It took an extra inning, yet the Warriors (3-1) were able to secure their third-straight run-rule victory in eight innings thanks to a walk-off base knock after scoring another 15 runs with double-digit hit totals behind another stellar outing performance from their starting pitcher. After allowing a first-inning unearned run to the Red Hawks (3-5), the Navy and Gold scored twice in their own offensive half of the first and tacked on four more in the third to lead 6-1.
Simpson scored two of their own runs in the top of the fourth to cut their deficit to three, yet a five-run fifth inning for Corban put the contest well out of reach and despite allowing two more in the sixth, the Warriors tallied three runs in the sixth and saw their walk-off come from the bat of junior shortstop Isaac Bateman to conclude his impressive outing.
Junior righthander Jackson Young took the mound for the Navy and Gold in game one of today's doubleheader and delivered, as he went 4.0 innings with a pair of strikeouts and allowed just three runs and three hits while walking three more to earn the win. Senior relief pitcher Sam Greenhalgh tossed the next 3.0 innings with a pair of earned runs allowed off five hits and three walks, while graduate student lefty Tanner Boe went in for the eighth and tossed an unscathed frame.
Red Hawks' starting pitcher Hyunwoo Kim was tagged for nine runs in 4.2 frames, four of which were earned, via ten hits and a pair of both walks and hit by pitches while striking out three Warriors. A quartet of Simpson bullpen pitchers completed the final 2.1 innings and allowed six more runs to see Corban reach double-digits for the third-straight game.
Bateman was the hero in the eighth with the walk-off hit and also had the most RBI on the day with four, securing a 3-for-4 outing with a double, triple, and stolen base as well. Senior third baseman Ryan Clay, junior designated hitter Peyton Rickard, and redshirt junior catcher Joshua Miyazawa all had three hits, while senior first baseman Drew DeMasi and sophomore leftfeidler Lucas Mertlich had two base hits apiece.
The Red Hawks scattered eight hits around by six different hitters, with catcher Jaxon Hotta and second baseman Aden Munoz each tallying two hits each and a run scored. Meanwhile, centerfielder Dylan Leek racked up two RBI on his only base hit of the game.
Game 2 – Simpson 11, Corban 1 (5 Innings)
For the first time all weekend long, the Warriors finally suffered a cold streak offensively and were unable to provide their pitching staff with any run support until the final inning of play, thus resulting in an even shorter game played due to the run-rule coming into play two innings earlier for a seven-inning contest.
Sophomore starter Avery Williamson gave Corban an opportunity to sweep Simpson on the weekend by allowing only three runs in three innings, yet the lack of offensive firepower resulted in his first losing decision of the season. Redshirt sophomore reliever Eddie Gould allowed five more runs in his inning of relief, junior Robert Hayes Jr. saw another three runs scored (one earned) in his 0.1 innings pitched, while junior Aidan Bray walked three batters but didn't allow any to come around and score.
Simpson starting pitcher Gage Hoyle picked the only win of the weekend for the Red Hawks by pitching the complete 5.0 innings to the sound of five hits and a single unearned run while walking one and striking out two batters.
Clay, Mertlich, and Miyazawa all picked up hits in game four of the series with Simpson, along with senior rightfielder Noah Owens and graduate student catcher Ethan VanDelinder. Miyazawa scored the Warriors' lone run while senior centerfielder Fran Gross picked up the RBI.
Despite scoring 11 runs, the Red Hawks only had one student-athlete with more than one hit in the series finale, as second baseman Brayden Swenson was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and three RBI from the eight-spot in the lineup.
Following their convincing start to the 2025 regular season, the Warriors will now travel to face an NAIA Top 10 program in No. 10-ranked Arizona Christian University (4-3) starting next Thursday for three-straight single contest gamedays with the first slated at 7pm AT.
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