LEWISTON, Idaho – Luke White fulfilled a childhood dream in the fifth inning when he crushed a ball into the left field stands for his the first Avista NAIA World Series home run of his career. The Lewiston native gave third-seeded LC State the lead with his solo shot in the 9-6 victory over LSU Shreveport.
 
"It was definitely a dream come true," White said. "Growing up you see all the LC players do it all the time, so to be able to do that in a good situation to help my team score more runs is awesome." 
 
Jesse Parker was fantastic in relief and shut the door after the Pilots took the lead in the first. He struck out eight in 6.1 innings to earn the victory. Greg Blackman got the Warriors out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the bottom of the ninth to seal the deal and send the Warriors on to Tuesday.
 
Jack Johnson got the LC State offense going in the top of the first after battling through his at-bat. After fouling off four pitches, the senior drove a ball over the wall in left center to put the Warriors on top 1-0.
 
Freshman Alec Holmes ran into trouble in the bottom of the inning and surrendered four runs before being replaced by Jesse Parker. The reliever struck out the first batter he faced on three straight pitches to end the inning with LC trailing 4-1.
 
LC State cut into the LSUS lead with back-to-back doubles by Aidan Nagle and Luke White. Zach Threlfall singled up the middle to bring the Warriors within one at 4-3 through three and a half.
 
Parker continued his masterful outing in relief with four strikeouts between the third and fourth innings.
 
The Warriors jumped in front with a big five-run inning in the fifth. Dillon Plew walked and Brock Ephan walked before a single by Nagle plated a run. Lewiston native White stepped to the plate next and crushed his first home run of the Series into the bleachers in left to give LC the lead.  
 
The inning continued when Threlfall was hit by a pitch and an error put Davis on base and scored a run to bring the LC lead to 8-5.
 
The Pilots answered with a solo shot off the bat of Taylor Fajardo in the bottom half of the inning to make it a three-run game. Parker struck out the next batter in three pitches to get the Warriors back to the plate.
 
Behind Parker, the Warrior defense got LC out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam unscathed. Nagle fired a ball in from the outfield to hold a runner at third, and a double play turned by Plew, A.J. Davis and Ephan ended the threat. Two more punchouts by Parker in the seventh kept the Pilots at bay.
 
Ephan destroyed a ball in the Warrior half of the eighth, sending his solo shot onto the buildings beyond the outfield wall to grow the lead to 9-5. LSUS responded in its half of the inning with a solo shot off reliever Tallon Thomason.
 
Greg Blackman came into the game with the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the ninth and shut the door and earned the save. The sophomore struck out two before a popup ended the contest.
 
Parker ended his day with eight strikeouts in 6.1 innings of relief work. The senior produced his best outing of the year at the perfect time and did not walk a batter.
 
On the offensive side, Plew, Nagle, White and Dalton Harum all had two hits each. White drove in three runs.
 
The Warriors advance to Tuesday's action and will potentially face the loser of Faulkner and Central Methodist, but the opponent is subject to change. The game is slated for Tuesday at 3 p.m.
 
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