LEWISTON, Idaho – The Lewis-Clark State baseball team earned a pair of wins to open their four-game series against British Columbia on Friday. The Warriors came from behind in game one and put up four runs in the last two innings. A walk-off sacrifice fly from Dalton Duarte gave LC a 4-3 win. The momentum continued into game two when LC struck for four runs in the first three innings en route to their 7-3 victory.
"We hung in there in the first game and had a couple two-out knocks. (Dalton) Duarte started with a walk and (A.J.) Davis and (Darren) Trainor both had big two-out knocks to tie it up and we got some energy from that," coach Jake Taylor said.
"I think that carried over to game two. We were ready to go," Taylor said. "(Justin) Hammergren gave us everything he had today and grinded out a couple innings. (Tanner) Simpson was fantastic behind him."
GAME ONE: LCSC def. UBC 4-3
The Warriors had to play catch-up in game one after heading into the eighth inning trailing 3-0.
It was the Thunderbirds that struck first in game one with a run in the top of the second off starter Tyler Burch.
Thomas Lampkin Jr. led off the home half of the fourth with a double to left. A.J. Davis was hit by a pitch and both advanced on a fly out by Darren Trainor but were left stranded.
Trainor threw out his seventh base runner of the season in the top of the fifth, one pitch before Burch collected his fourth strikeout of the game.
UBC tacked on one more in the seventh before Andrew-Najeeb Brush took over on the mound to get LC out of the inning with a strikeout and fly out. A solo shot in the eighth gave the Thunderbirds a 3-0 lead.
Davis broke up the shutout in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single to center. He knocked in Jaden Phillips who was running for Duarte, and Lampkin Jr. moved to third after reaching on a walk. A hard-hit rocket up the middle by Trainor knotted the game 3-3.
Riley Way singled to lead off the ninth before a walk to Kody Garvin and an error allowing Jeff Bart to reach loaded the bases. Duarte stepped to the plate and sent a sacrifice fly into left to bring in Way and complete the comeback win for the Warriors.
Lampkin Jr., Davis, Trainor, Way and Garvin all had a hit in the game. Trainor led the Warriors with two RBI and Garvin's hit stretches his hitting streak to 10 games.
Najeeb-Brush earned the win after tossing two and two thirds innings while giving up one hit and striking out two. Burch went six and a third and struck out five.
GAME TWO: LCSC def. UBC 7-3
Justin Hammergren got the start in game two and sat UBC down in order to open the contest.
The Warriors got the game started with a two-run first inning. Doubles from Davis, Trainor and Way set the tone for the ballgame and gave LC an early 2-0 advantage.
After striking out the first batter of the inning, Hammergren but two on via a hit-by-pitch and a walk
LC responded to a Thunderbird run in the second with one of their own on a solo shot off the bat of Jeff Bart. The Warriors did the same in the third, this time with a big fly from Trainor to stretch their lead to 4-2 after three.
Davis and Trainor both stayed hot at the plate with a pair of singles in the Warriors' half of the fifth inning. Kyle Callahan sent a sacrifice fly into right to grow the lead to 5-2.
A UBC run in the seventh was quickly erased with three walks and an error the Thunderbirds' defense. Davis, Trainor and Callahan all walked to load the bases. A fielder's choice and throwing error on a ground ball by Way brought in a pair to bring the score to 7-3 in favor of LC.
Tanner Simpson sat UBC down 1-2-3 in the eighth and ninth.
Trainor led the offense with a 3-for-3 performance to go with two RBI. Davis notched a pair of hits and Way had two RBI.
Simpson earned the win in his five and two thirds innings. He did not allow a run and struck out four. Hammergren went three and a third and struck out two.
The Warriors continue their four-game set with the Thunderbirds tomorrow at noon. Tomorrow is the 2019 Hall of Fame game, so be sure to arrive early for a pregame introduction of the LCSC Athletics Hall of Fame class of 2019. Warrior standout Beau Mills will throw out the first pitch.
