LEWISTON, Idaho –
Brock Ephan made a statement on Monday, proving that he holds one of the most dangerous bats in the LC State lineup. The senior blasted three homeruns in the doubleheader, helping the No. 21 Lewis-Clark State Baseball team to a sweep of Oregon Tech. The Warriors won game one 13-7, and game two 10-4.
"We came out on top today," coach
Jake Taylor said. "We definitely didn't play our best and we will be back at it this week. It was good to get four more wins."
Along with Ephan's three big flies, he totaled seven RBI and 15 total bases. His home run total for the weekend was four.
"Brock had a pretty good weekend," Taylor added. "We need to keep him going and get some other guys going at the same time."
GAME ONE: LCSC def. OIT 13-7
The Owls struck for two runs to open the game, but a big seven spot by LC State in the bottom of the second put the Warriors back in the driver's seat.
Luke White led the inning off with a single down the third base line before taking third when
Aidan Nagle and
Zach Needham drew back-to-back walks.
Dalton Harum was hit by a pitch to bring in a run and a single by
Jack Sheward brought in a pair.
Riley Way singled to keep the rally going and
Jack Johnson produced an RBI groundout before
Brock Ephan unleashed on a ball. He sent a towering three-run shot over the batter's eye in dead center. By the end of the inning, LC State led 7-2.
OIT added two runs in the top of the third, and the Warriors responded with a solo shot by Nagle.
Oregon Tech tacked on one in the third and the fourth to cut the Warrior lead to 8-6. After another run in the seventh to bring the Owls within one, the Warriors responded in the bottom of the seventh.
Johnson doubled to left to start the offense and Ephan walked. Johnson took third on a wild pitch, and a throwing error by the catcher brought him in. White singled next, knocking in Ephan. Nagle walked to keep the inning going. A wild pitch brought in White for the third run of the inning.
Jesse Parker worked a 1-2-3 inning in the eighth.
The bottom of the eighth started with a triple by
Riley Way, and he scored on Ephan's second home run of the day. He sent a ball over the left field bleachers to grow the lead to 13-7.
Parker worked around a lead-off single to close out the game with a victory.
White led the Warriors with three hits in the game, while Way, Johnson, Ephan and Sheward each had two. Ephan launched two big flies and collected five RBI.
Cameron Smith got the start for LC and struck out four in four innings while allowing three earned runs. Parker earned his fourth win of the season, striking out seven in five innings. Each pitcher walked only one batter.
GAME TWO: LCSC def. OIT 10-4
Johnson pushed his hitting streak to 20 games with a two-run shot in the Warriors' first at-bats of game two.
A.J. Davis reached on a walk to start the inning before Johnson drove an 0-2 pitch over the wall to make it 2-0 in favor of LC State.
Oregon Tech scattered three runs throughout the second, third and fourth to take a 3-2 lead, and LC answered in the fourth to tie the score. Ephan reached on a two-out single and scored on a double by White.
Ephan put the Warriors in front with his third home run of the day, sending a shot to left in the bottom of the fifth.
OIT put a run up in the seventh, but three Warrior runs in the home half of the inning gave LC State a slight edge. An error put Johnson on first, and walk to White put two on. With two outs, Needham singled to drive in one, and Harum followed with a double to bring in two more. At the end of the eighth the Warriors led 7-4.
Ephan walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, and Nagle singled to right to bring one across. Harum was hit by a pitch, earning an RBI.
Greg Blackman closed the game out on the mound, throwing the final three innings.
Ephan led the Warriors with three hits in the game, including his third home run of the day. Harum knocked in four runs.
The Warriors conclude the home stand on Saturday and Sunday with a four-game set against Corban.
