Bats come alive as Warriors return to win column

March 21, 2006

BOX SCORE

Senior Brian Nelson had a pair of hits, including his 5th home run of the season, and two RBIs in Corban's 7-5 win over Pacific (Ore.). (Photo by Piet van Weel)

SALEM, Ore. –  Following a weekend double header where the Warriors managed only 11 hits, the offense exploded for 13 hits, including a 2-run home run by senior Brian Nelson (Lebanon, Ore.), as Corban beat NCAA Division III Pacific (Ore.), 7-5, Tuesday at Warrior Field.  

Nelson hit his team-leading 5th round-tripper of the year in the 3rd inning with junior Ryan Heil (Medford, Ore.) aboard to help stake Corban to an early 5-0 lead. The Warriors led 6-1 after four innings when sophomore Ryan Porter (Keizer, Ore.) singled home sophomore Doug Gausepohl (Murrieta, Calif.), who had doubled.

The Boxers rallied for four runs in the 5th inning on the strength of Nick William’s 2-run homer, but the Warriors got solid pitching and some key defensive plays through the final four innings to nail down their first victory in two weeks.

Junior Brett Timmerman (Medford, Ore.) started on the mound and earned his first win, throwing four innings and giving up 4 runs (all earned) on 4 hits. After sophomore Jordan Emery (Salem, Ore.) pitched the 5th, giving up one run, four Warrior hurlers – freshman Jason Braun (Dallas, Ore.), junior Bryan Bernard (Salem, Ore.), junior Scott Fitchett (Sandpoint, Idaho), and junior Zeke Clayton (Myrtle Point, Ore.) – pitched an inning each of shut-out ball to preserve the win. Clayton gained his first save of the season working the 9th for the Warriors.

Corban got big back-to-back defensive plays in the 7th when Porter, ranging up the middle, made a diving stop and throw to first to rob Pacific’s Cedric Steinshouser of a hit.  On the very next batter, freshman left fielder Brandon Wolters (Gresham, Ore.) threw out Pacific’s Scott Yasumoto, as he attempted to stretch a single into a double.

Porter was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate to go with his RBI, while Nelson, Wolters, and sophomore Darren Johnson (Vancouver, Wash.) each registered two hits for the victors.  Johnson and Gausepohl both scored two runs, while Heil and Wolters picked up RBIs for Corban.

With the win, Corban moves to 5-10 overall and 4-4 against NCAA Division III teams.  Pacific falls to 9-10 overall.  The Warriors are next in action on Friday, March 24th, when they travel to La Grande for a conference match up with Eastern Oregon beginning at 2:00 p.m.