Hot bats, middle relief lead 9-4 Warrior win over Bearcats

March 28, 2006

BOX SCORE

SALEM, Ore. – Four players collected multiple hits and junior Bryan Bernard (Salem, Ore.) earned his first victory pitching shutout ball as Corban’s baseball team got back on track, clubbing host Willamette University 9-4 in a non-conference contest at Spec Keene Stadium Tuesday. 

The Warriors amassed 15 hits led by sophomore Jamie McGraw (Gaston, Ore.) slapping out four hits, senior Brain Nelson (Lebanon, Ore.) getting three, and sophomores Scott Flux (Salem, Ore.) and Darren Johnson adding a pair of safeties each. Corban registered hits in every inning except the 7th, and scored at least one run in six of the nine stanzas played to complete the 2-game season sweep of its NCAA Division III cross-town rivals.

Meanwhile, four Warrior pitchers limited the Bearcats to six hits and retired the home club in order in the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th and 7th innings.  Bernard notched his first win in middle relief work, as he took over for junior starter Brett Timmerman (Medford, Ore.)  in the fourth and set down seven straight Bearcat batters in pitching 2.1 innings without yielding a hit, run, or base runner.

 McGraw, who had four straight hits (4-for-5) before being retired in the 8th, scored twice, stole a pair of bases and triggered runs with opening-inning hits in the 2nd and 6th. Nelson had RBI singles in the 3rd and 6th innings, as he finished 3-for-5 at the plate, while Flux and senior Jesse Gaylord (Portland, Ore.) added a pair of runs batted in for the Warriors.

Johnson, junior Kyle Myers (Canyon City, Ore.) and freshman Rondie Taylor (Clackamas, Ore.) each had RBIs for Corban.

 Junior Zeke Clayton (Myrtle Creek, Ore.) pitched a scoreless 7th for the Warriors, and junior Scott Fitchett (Sandpoint, Idaho) finished the final two innings for the winners.  In pitching through the 9th, Fitchett recorded his team-high 33rd inning of work, and his 22nd strikeout of the year, tying him for the team lead with sophomore Jordan Emery (Salem, Ore.).  Timmerman made his 4th start of the season and worked 3.2 innings, giving up two runs on three hits, and fanning two batters.

Over the last two games, the lead-off hitting McGraw has collected 6 hits in 8 trips, with three runs scored, while registering 9 putouts from his centerfield position. Flux, who had a homer and 5 RBIs Saturday at Eastern Oregon, has been 5-for-7, with 7 RBIs in his last two appearances.

Corban improves to 6-13 overall, while Willamette drops to 13-11 on the season.  The Warriors are next on the road at NCAA Division II Western Oregon Wednesday, March 29th for a 1:00 p.m. contest.