LEWISTON, Idaho – Lewis-Clark State defeated Corban University 6-5 and 6-1 Sunday, running its winning streak to eleven games. The two NAIA West Conference victories upped LC's league record to 13-1, and 23-5 overall. Corban, second in the NAIA West, fell to 9-6 in the league, and 19-15 overall.
In the opener, LC jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on back-to-back doubles by
Raymond Pedrina and
Kasey Bailey. The Warriors increased their lead to 3-0 in the third inning on Pedrina's RBI double, and
Tyler McDowell's RBI single. In the fifth inning, a Corban fielding error, and
Riley Ways RBI double gave LC a 5-0 advantage.
Corban got on the board in the sixth inning via Ben Ross' three-run home run, and added a run in the seventh to pull within 5-4. In the seventh,
Cory Voss scored on McDowell's double, and another Corban error, to give LC a 6-4 lead.
Corban made it 6-5 in the ninth on Jarett Thoren's RBI double. Thoren reached third on a wild pitch, but LC reliever Joseph Riley retired the next two batters to preserve the victory. Riley earned his third save of the year.
Tyler Burch (5-1) went the first 5.1 innings for LC, striking out seven, and giving up just three hits and two runs.
The Warriors jumped to a 6-0 lead after five innings in game two thanks to two three-run innings. McDowell gave LC a 3-0 lead with a third-inning two-run single. The Warriors added three more runs in the fifth on
Darren Trainor's RBI single,
Makana Victorine's RBI double, and a Corban error.
Corban's only run in the game came in the sixth inning. Andrew Axmaker's RBI single brought in Daniel Freiburger, for the only run scored against LC starter
Kade Woods. Woods earned his first victory of the year, going 5.1 innings, and striking out eight. He issued just one walk, and allowed six hits.
Anthony Toribio pitched the final 3.2 innings for his first save of the year. Pedrina finshed the day 5-for-8, and McDowell led LC with three RBI.
The final game of the four-game series, originally scheduled as road games, but moved to Harris Field due to weather conditions, will be played Monday at 11 a.m.