CCC Baseball: Cavs End Warriors Season with Sweep

With the season-ending losses, Corban sees its record end at 14-33-1 overall, 7-17 in conference play.

Corban second baseman Craig Spicer Photo: Corban Athletics

PORTLAND - Following a double header sweep on Friday, Corban's baseball team knew that another sweep on Sunday would award the Warriors a berth in the NAIA Region I playoffs, but the 2007 season ended with back-to-back losses to rival Concordia, 6-5 & 2-1, at The Yard.

Before Sunday's twin bill in the Rose City, both Corban and Concordia were separated by two games in the regional standings for the fourth and final playoff spot.

If the Warriors could sweep the double header then Corban would advance to Caldwell, Idaho to be part of the four-team double-elimination tournament due to winning 4-out-of-6 meetings between the two squads.

Unfortunately for the Warriors, Concordia took the opener by a single run (6-5) and eliminated the Warriors from the playoff picture and secured the spot as the fourth team in next weekend's regional tournament that features Lewis-Clark State, British Columbia, and Albertson.

With the season-ending losses, Corban sees its record end at 14-33-1 overall, 7-17 in conference play.

Meanwhile, Concordia improves to 17-28 overall , 11-13 in conference action.

In the opener, Corban grabbed a quick 3-0 lead in the first when junior Jamie McGraw led off the game with a single up the middle before sophomore Craig Spicer brought him home with a double down the left field line.

Following a sacrifice bunt by senior Ryan Heil that advanced Spicer to third, senior Jeremy Frantz recorded a single through the right side that allowed Spicer to score. Senior Brett Timmerman reached base via an error before freshman Josh Warner repeated Frantz's base hit and recorded Corban's third and final RBI of the inning.

Unfortunately for the Warriors, Concordia scored four runs in its half of the first inning and then tacked on another two runs in the second inning to increase its lead to three runs (6-3).

In the fifth inning, Spicer led of the frame with his team-leading third home run of the season to pull the visiting team within two runs (6-4).

Four batters later, Warner brought home Heil, who reached via an error by the Cavaliers' first baseman, for the game's final run.

Corban senior starter Scott Fitchett went the distance, allowing 6 runs (4 earned) on five hits with 3 K's.

Meanwhile, Concordia's Jason Grisham pitched the first 5.0 innings for the host team, allowing 5 runs (4 earned) on six hits with a game-high 4 strikeouts before handing the ball over the reliever Kyle Well for the final four frames.

McGraw, Spicer, Frantz, and Warner each registered two hits off Concordia pitching, while Spicer and Warner each drove in a pair of RBIs.

Playing the nightcap as a make-up game from earlier in the season, both Corban and Concordia used a majority of its squads as the playoff picture had been decided with the opening game's out come therefore allowing each team's fans to see the respective seniors compete in their final games of the regular season.

Neither team scored until the fourth inning when Corban, who was playing as the home team, put a single run on the board when freshman Matt Schmidt singled to third base allowing Heil to score from ninety feet away.

In the sixth inning, Concordia knotted the game at 1-all when James Mannion doubled to center field scoring Paul Jacques from third.

With the score tied in the top of the ninth inning, Concordia's Brennan Ingram recorded the game-winning RBI via a single through the left side that allowed Ryan Sussenguth to score from second.

Corban was shut down in the bottom of the ninth inning, as Concordia's Ryan Preston and Chad Lucas teamed for the final three outs with Lucas picking up his third save of the season.

Schmidt led the Warriors' offense with a perfect 2-for-2 performance at the plate, while Heil and Timmerman each registered a hit off Cavalier pitching.

Timmerman began the game on the hill for Corban and went 7.0 scoreless innings with one strikeout before turning the ball over to a duo of relievers -- senior Zeke Clayton and sophomore Brandon Wolters -- for the final two innings.

Wolters registered a team-high two K's, while pitching the final inning of the 2007 season for Corban baseball.

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