Frantz turns in 3-for-4 performance in loss to Bearcats
April 17, 2007
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Senior Jeremy Frantz went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored today against NCAA Division III member and cross-town rival Willamette. (Photo courtesy of Josh Randolph) |
SALEM, Ore. – Senior Jeremy Frantz (Medford, Ore.) went 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair of RBIs, but Corban's baseball team fell to cross-town rival Willamette, 8-5, on Tuesday as the Bearcats captured the inaugural Governor's Cup thanks to winning the first two of three games in the series.
In the inaugural race for the trophy between the cross-town rival Warriors and Bearcats, Willamette captured the series opening contest for the Governor's Cup, 5-4, at Warrior Field two weeks ago and took the early 1-0 advantage. Heading into today's contest, Corban knew that a win would turn the trophy over the Willamette for one year.
Despite a combined 10 hits by Corban's first six batters -- junior Jamie McGraw (Gaston, Ore.), sophomore Craig Spicer (Vancouver, Wash.), senior Ryan Heil (Medford, Ore.), Frantz, senior Brett Timmerman (Medford, Ore.), and junior Doug Gausepohl (Murrieta, Calif.) -- the Warriors could not overcome a combined seven Bearcats runs over the first three innings en route to earning the much-needed win.
The visiting Warriors scored first when Spicer singled up the middle followed by Frantz's first hit of the afternoon -- a single up the middle -- that moved Spicer to third. The very next batter -- Timmerman -- drove in Spicer from third with a single to left field for the game's opening run. Unfortunately for the Warriors, the Bearcats offense started in the first inning with a pair of runs and then increased with three more runs in the second inning before Corban came to bat for the third time.
Corban did mount a comeback in the third inning when the Warriors added three runs thanks to five straight singles by Spicer, Heil, Frantz, Timmerman, and Gausepohl. The latter three batters each drove in a run with their respective base knocks, as Spicer crossed the plate on Frantz's single to center field before Heil scored on Timmerman's single through the right side. Gausepohl closed out the Warriors' scoring in the third frame with a single down the left field line that scored Frantz and made the deficit two runs (5-3).
Willamette increased its lead to four runs (7-3) with a two spot in the Bearcats' half of the third inning before scoring their eighth and final run in the fourth inning.
In the seventh inning, Corban put its fifth and final run on the board when McGraw opened the stanza with a walk before advancing to second via his team-leading 16th stolen base of the season. Two batters later, McGraw scored when Frantz registered his third and final hit of the day -- a single to third base -- that allowed McGraw to score.
Corban's offense was led by Frantz's three-hit day, while Spicer and Timmerman each recorded a pair of hits. McGraw, Heil, and Gausepohl recorded one hit each off Willamette pitching to close out the Warriors' offensive performance for the day.
On the mound, junior Scott Flux (Salem, Ore.) took the ball as the Warriors' starter and went the first 2.2 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits with a strikeout before turning the ball over to a trio of relievers -- junior Jordan Emery (Salem, Ore.), sophomore Jason Braun (Dallas, Ore.), and senior Scott Fitchett (Sandpoint, Idaho). The trio combined to allow three runs (one earned) on five hits with 3 K's.
For Willamette, Colin Young was the lone Bearcats to record more than one hit off Warrior pitching with seven other Bearcats registering a hit each. On the hill, Ryan Smith opened the game and pitched the first 3.0 innings, allowing 4 runs (all earned) on 8 hits before handing the ball over to the game's eventual winner -- Kelsey Nakata -- who went 4.0 inning and allowed a mere earned run on a pair of hits. Jimmy Meuel and Matt Bicocca finished out the game for the Bearcats and combined to allow no runs on no hits over the final two innings.
With the loss, Corban is now 10-26-1 overall, while Willamette improves to 15-18 on the season. The Warriors will return to conference action on Friday, April 20th, when they travel south to Klamath Falls for the first of a three-game series with the Hustlin' Owls of Oregon Tech beginning at 3:00 p.m.
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