SALEM, Ore. – The No. 7 LC State Warriors claimed the first Cascade Conference title in program history on Saturday after a sweep of Corban. This is the first season the Cascade has sponsored baseball officially, having retired the NAIA West moniker after the 2020 season. The doubleheader featured drastically different games, with LC taking game 1 19-14 in 10 innings, then game 2 by a final of 12-0 in eight innings.
 
LC utilized an eight-run eighth inning to overcome a seven-run deficit before heading into extra innings in the first game of the day.
 
"We struggled on the mound a bit as we allowed way too many free passes in the first game," Head Coach Jake Taylor said. "Jesse (Parker) settled down and finished well for us. Offensively, we had some big two-out and two-strike hits late to bring us back and ultimately finish strong."
 
LC State collected 21 hits in the first game to tie a season-high, then added 14 in the nightcap. Eric Chavarria gave the Warriors a solid start in the second game of the day before handing the ball over to Lucas Gregory who struck out every batter he faced.
 
"Eric was really sharp in his start," Taylor continued. "In his last three outings, he has continued to improve. He's throwing the ball really well. Offensively we were consistent throughout the game."
 
GAME 1: LC State def. Corban 19-14 (10 innings)
The LC State Warriors got to work quickly with two runs in the top of the first. Riley Way extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a leadoff double to right. Three straight two-out singles by Brock Ephan, Aidan Nagle and Matt James plated a pair to make it 2-0. They added another in the second after Sam Linscott reached on an error and scored on a two-out double by Dillon Plew.
 
Tallon Thomason sat Corban down in order in the home half of the second.
 
The two-out scoring trend continued in the third inning when back-to-back doubles by Linscott and Zach Threlfall grew the lead to 5-0. James walked to put a runner on before Linscott's two bagger and set Threlfall up for two RBI.
 
Corban rallied for three in the bottom of the third to cut the LC State lead to 6-4. They tacked on another three to take a 7-5 in the fourth before two strikeouts by reliever Brooks Juhasz got LC out of the inning.
 
Linscott drilled a solo shot over the fence in left center to cut the deficit to one run in the top of the fifth, but Corban added on in the sixth and seventh to grow its lead to 13-6.
 
The Warriors from LC State did not wait for two-outs when they responded with an eight-run eighth inning. After Corban batted around in the bottom of the seventh, LC did the same. Ephan singled and took second on a balk before scoring on a double down the left field line by Nagle. James homered for the second straight game to bring in two more.
 
LC State scored another five runs in the inning, all with two outs, to take a 14-13 lead. Linscott walked before three straight singles by Threlfall, Way and Jack Johnson brought in two. A three-run shot by Plew capped the scoring in the inning with eight LC runs on seven hits.
 
Corban took advantage of a wild pitch in the home half of the inning to tie the ballgame 14-14 heading into the ninth. A 1-2-3 inning by Jesse Parker sent the game into extras.
 
Ephan came up clutch with a two-out single up the middle after working the count full to drive in two runs and give LC State a 16-14 lead in the top of the 10^th. Nagle carried he energy over into his at bat and drove a ball over the fence in right for a three-run homer to send the LC Warriors into the bottom of the 10^th with a 19-14 advantage.
 
Parker sat Corban down in order to end the game and earn the win.
 
Way and Nagle led the offense with four hits each in the game while Plew and Nagle each drove in four. Ephan and Linscott each recorded three hit and Linscott scored five times.
 
Parker earned the win after three innings of work in relief. He struck out a pair and gave up an earned run. Eli Shubert tossed 1.1 innings and struck out three, while Juhasz and Thomason each had four punchouts.
 
GAME 2: LC State def. Corban 12-0 (8 innings)
An infield single by Luke White got the second inning going for LC State. A single by A.J. Davis moved White to third before a passed ball gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead. Eric Chavarria erased a two-out walk with a pick off at first to end the inning.
 
The Warriors added on in the top of the fourth. White walked and stole second before taking third on a single by Dalton Harum. Davis brought him in on  a sacrifice fly to center and bring the score to 2-0.
 
Ephan followed a leadoff walk to Plew with a two-run shot to right center to begin the fifth inning and grow the LC State advantage to 4-0. Nagle was hit by a pitch and took second on a wild pitch before Harum walked and both advanced on a wild pitch. A bloop-single by Davis into shallow center plated both.
 
Chavarria sat the Corban Warriors down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fifth. LC State took advantage of Corban pitching troubles and defensive missteps in the sixth after a single by Johnson was followed by a walk and an error to load the bases. Nagle singled to knock in two then took third when a run scored on a passed ball. LC led 9-0 after six.
 
The LC State starter was lifted with after six and a third and the ball was handed to Lucas Gregory who struck out two batters to end the seventh.
 
The LC Warriors pushed the lead to 10 in the eighth. Ephan singled through the left side and advanced on a wild pitch before an error moved him to third and put Nagle on base. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Zach Needham brought in Ephan and a double by White put two in scoring position and an RBI-single by Harum made it 11-0. Davis brought in the team's 12^th run on a fielder's choice.
 
Gregory struck out the side to end the game in eight innings via the 10-run rule. He struck out all five batters he faced.
 
Ephan and Davis led the Warriors with three hits each in the game. Johnson stretched his hitting streaks to 16 games with two hits in the contest. White and Harum also both had two hits. Davis drove in four while Nagle and Ephan each knocked in two.
 
Chavarria struck out four in his outing and walked only one. He gave up three hits and did not allow a run.
 
The Warriors now hold a record of 29-2, 22-1 in CCC play, and will host the conference's postseason tournament on May 8 and 9. The top three teams in the conference will compete in the tournament. More information will be provided at a later date.
 
LC State still has nine games remaining on the conference schedule and two non-conference contests before the postseason begins. The Warriors wrap up the season series with Corban on Sunday starting at noon.
 
Stay up to date on all things Warrior Athletics at lcwarriors.com and on social media @LCWarriors.