LEWISTON, Idaho – Jack Johnson crushed two home runs in his Harris Field debut on Friday, helping the No. 19 Warriors defeat the visiting University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 9-6 in the series opener. LC State collected 11 hits in the first game of the four-game set, and Eric Chavarria got they team off to a great start with another strong performance on the mound.

"It was good to be home and get a win," coach Jake Taylor said. "Chavarria gave us a great start and Greg Blackman closed us out pretty well. Jack obviously had a good day for us, and a couple guys had a solid approach. We had too many punch-outs which has been our nemesis all year, but we ended up on top today."

Johnson ended the game with five RBI and has hit safely in all nine game so far this season.

"It was a fun day," Johnson said. "It felt good to be back at this field and get a win at home. We've been wanting that ever since we got rained out against Western Oregon. It wasn't our best game, and we have a lot more to give."

Chavarria was solid through his first two innings of work, striking out two and inducing a double play.

The Warriors put the game's first run on the board in the home half of the second. Luke White singled and moved to second on a walk to Dalton Harum before scoring on an error.

UBC evened the score in the top of the third, but Johnson answered back in a big way in the Warrior's half. Aidan Nagle singled before Johnson stepped to the plate with two outs and launched a big fly to deep center to put LC State up 3-1.

Johnson and the Warriors added on in the bottom of the fifth when the senior struck again for a trip around the bases. A.J. Davis and Nagle reached on back-to-back singles, and Johnson came to the plate with two outs once more. On a 2-1 count, the Warriors' third basemen sent a deep drive over the wall in left center to grow the advantage to 6-2.

The Thunderbirds added a run in the top of the sixth, but the Warriors responded quickly with a pair in the home half. Harum walked and Zach Needham singled to put two on. A sacrifice bunt by Jack Sheward moved both to scoring position before a sacrifice fly by Riley Way plated a run. A single by Nagle made it 8-2.

Luke Tedrick took over on the mound in the top of the seventh and the UBC offense struck for three to cut the Warrior lead to 8-5.

Blackman relieved Tedrick with no outs and runners on the corners in the top of the eighth and struck out the first batter he faced. One run came in to make it 8-6.

The UBC defense gifted LC a run in the bottom of the eighth to put the Warriors in front 9-6.

Blackman continued to work in the ninth and struck out a batter to end the game.

Nagle led the Warriors with three hits on the day, and Johnson tallied five RBI with his two home runs. Johnson has now hit safely in all nine games this season.

On the mound, Chavarria improved to 2-0 on the young season, tossing six and striking out five. Tedrick threw one inning and Blackman went the final two, striking out three.

The series with the Thunderbirds continues tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at noon.