PORTLAND, Ore. – No. 19 Warrior Baseball completed the three-game sweep of NCAA DII Concordia (Ore.) on Sunday with an 11-3 victory. Luke White sent a three-run bomb to center in the first inning to fire up the offense. Freshman Alec Holmes put together a strong start for LC State, striking out seven in four and two thirds.
"We had a better effort offensively today," coach Jake Taylor said. "Luke got us going in the first and we received production throughout the lineup. Alec gave us a quality start on the mound, and Jesse Parker and Greg Blackman were good again in relief. We will need to have a great week of practice as UBC is a very good baseball team. We are excited to get back to work."
The Warriors got the run scoring started early with a three spot in the top of the first. A.J. Davis drew a one-out walk before Aidan Nagle was hit by a pitch to put two on. Lewiston native White stepped to the plate with two outs and blasted hit home run as a Warrior to put LC State up 3-0.
Holmes struck out two in the home half of the first to keep the Cavs off the board.
Zach Needham got the offense going in the top of the second with a double down the left field line. Caden Goldby singled through the left side to move Needham to third, and a sacrifice fly by Davis plated the fourth Warrior run.
Jack Johnson led the third off with a hit-by-pitch and a stolen base. A single up the middle off the bat of Needham brought Johnson around to score to make it 5-0.
Concordia struck for its first run of the day in the bottom of the third, but a strikeout by Holmes ended the threat and kept LC State in front 5-1. Holmes made quick work of the Cavs in the fourth, striking out the side on 11 pitches.
Johnson stayed hot at the plate and led off the fifth with an infield single, and a base hit by Needham moved him to third. Goldby stepped to the plate next and ripped a double to left to grow the lead to 6-1.
The Cavs chipped away at the LC lead in the bottom half of the inning, striking for two to make it 6-3. Parker took over on the mound for Holmes with two outs in the inning. A base hit scored a run, charged to Holmes, before a line out to Riley Way at second got LC out of the inning.
Nagle and Brock Ephan opened the sixth with back-to-back singles to center. White reached on a fielder's choice that turned into a throwing error at second, plating Nagle to bring the score to 7-3.
Parker recorded two punch outs in his full inning of work in the bottom of the sixth.
Ephan launched a leadoff double into the corner in left to begin the eighth inning. Johnson and Jack Sheward drew free passes to load the bases, and a walk to Needham brought in a run. An RBI-groundout by Jaden Phillips made it 9-3.
A walk to Way loaded the bases with two outs, and a lined shot up the middle by Davis made it 11-3.
Blackman took the mound in the bottom of the ninth to close out the game for LC State and struck out a pair.
The Warriors tallied 14 hits, led by Ephan and Needham with three each. White and Davis each had three RBI. Davis, Nagle and Goldby each collected a pair of hits. Johnson has hit safely in all eight games this season.
Holmes put together a strong start, striking out seven in four and two thirds while allowing only one hit. Parker picked up the win after striking out two in three and a third, and Blackman struck out two in his inning of work.
The Warriors host their home opener on Friday at 2 p.m. against British Columbia.
