Flux flusters Boxer hitters, but Warriors fall in ninth
March 13, 2007
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Sophomore Scott Flux made his third appearance (second start) of the season, pitching 6.0 strong innings today against Pacific (Ore.), allowing a mere two runs on seven hits, while fanning a pair of Boxer hitters. (Photo courtesy of Corban Sports Information) |
HILLSBORO, Ore. – Junior Scott Flux (Salem, Ore.) pitched six strong innings allowing a pair of earned runs, but Corban's baseball team fell to NCAA Division III member Pacific (Ore.), 7-3, thanks to a walk-off grand slam home run in the ninth inning on Tuesday.
The host Boxers put up a pair in single runs in the 2nd and 3rd innings before Corban got with a single run in the 5th inning when sophomore Rondie Taylor (Clackamas, Ore.) walked and then stole second. Junior Jamie McGraw (Gaston, Ore.) then drove home the Warriors' first run via a single to right center that scored Taylor from second base.
Neither team scored again until the 8th inning when Corban senior Ryan Heil (Medford, Ore.) opened the stanza with a walk before advancing to second on a failed pick off attempt by the Boxers' pitcher. Fellow senior Jeremy Frantz (Medford, Ore.) then advanced Heil ninety feet with a fly-out to right field, before senior Brett Timmerman (Medford, Ore.) brought Heil home with a sacrifice fly to left field that knotted the game at 2-all.
Pacific re-took the lead in its half of the 8th inning via a ground out to the pitcher -- Corban sophomore Jason Braun (Dallas, Ore.) -- that scored a Boxer teammate from third.
In the top of the ninth inning, junior Darren Johnson (Vancouver, Wash.) began things with a single to third base before stealing second. Sophomore Owen Frasier (Vancouver, Wash.) advance Johnson to third with a sacrifice bunt before Taylor executed the Warriors' third suicide squeeze bunt in their past three games to tie the game at 3-3.
The host Boxers opened their half of the 9th inning with a walk before a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch sent Pacific's opening runner to third with one out. After another Pacific walk, senior reliever Scott Fitchett (Sandpoint, Idaho) intentionally walked the bases loaded before giving up the game-ending grand slam to Pacific's Nick McNeely that handed the host squad a 7-3 victory.
Six different Warriors recorded hits -- McGraw, freshman Josh Warner (Independence, Ore.), Heil, Frantz, Timmerman, sophomore Craig Spicer (Vancouver, Wash.), and Johnson -- as four Corban pitchers combined to throw 8.1 innings, allowing 7 runs (all earned) on 11 hits, while fanning 3 Boxer hitters. Corban sophomore reliever Brandon Wolters (Gresham, Ore.) was strapped with the loss, as he began the ninth inning on the mound and gave up the stanza's opening walk before turning the ball over the Fitchett, who faced the game's final three batters.
McNeely led the Boxer offense with a 3-for-5 performance that included five runs batted in and a pair of runs scored, while Zach Gantenbein and Charles Shapiro had 3-for-4 and 2-for-4 days at the plate respectively. Pacific's Kyle Barskdale earned the win, as he recorded the Warriors' final out in the top of the 9th inning before the Boxers ended the game in the bottom of the stanza.
With the loss, Corban falls to 5-12-1 overall, while Pacific improves to 5-6 overall. The Warriors return to the field on Friday, March 16th, when they continue conference play against Oregon Institute of Technology beginning at 2:00 p.m. in Klamath Falls.
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