By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Layton Wagner (Jr., RHP/UT, Boise, ID/Timberline HS) and Samuel Daly (Jr., OF, El Dorado Hills, CA/Jesuit HS) each blasted a solo home run, but Corban University scored seven runs in the third inning on its way to a 12-5 victory over the Bearcats on Wednesday, March 30 at John Lewis Field. The teams split the season series with one win apiece. Willamette defeated the Warriors 9-4 on March 22.
Corban improved to 13-14 on the season. Willamette slipped to 13-12.
It was Wagner's fifth home run of the season, while Daly hit his second homer of the year. Daly went 2 for 2 at the plate with three runs scored. Tassos Foster (So., INF, Novato, CA/Novato HS) was 2 of 4 with a run and an RBI. Luke Werkmeister-Martin (Jr., 1B, Louisville, CO/Monarch HS) was 2 for 5 with an RBI. Ryan Whithorn (Grad., 2B, Claremont, CA/The Webb School/Chaffey College) went 1 for 3, including a double.
The game featured an outstanding defensive play by Whithorn at second base with Cale Thompson batting for Corban in the seventh inning. Whithorn began the play at his normal position within 20 feet of second. He covered plenty of space to field a ground ball in shallow right field about 20 feet from the foul line. He threw the ball across his body to first base, where Werkmeister-Martin recorded the out.
Maxwell Jeffrey and Kyle Clay each finished 3 of 5 for the Warriors. Jeffrey scored three runs and earned three RBIs. Clay registered two doubles, scored twice, and was credited with three RBIs. Brandon Landon was 2 of 4 with a run and a triple. Tyler Covalt went 2 of 5 and provided Corban with three RBIs.
The first two innings moved quickly as starters Matt Pisacane (Sr., RHP, San Diego, CA/San Dieguito HS) of WU and Jacob Bowser of Corban each faced just three batters per inning.
In the top of the third, the Warriors surged into the lead with seven runs on six hits. Covalt singled to start the frame, and then Nainoa Ka'ahanui hit a double to right center. Brad Pellkofer was hit by a pitch that loaded the bases. Jeffrey drove in two runs with a single. Later, Clay produced an RBI single and Jeffrey eventually scored on a wild pitch. Covalt drove in the final three runs of the stanza with a double to right center.
Willamette put one run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. Daly walked to open the inning and stole second base. He scored on a single down the right field line by Foster.
The Warriors remained in front 7-1 until the bottom of the fifth when Willamette scored on Daly's solo homer to center field. Corban tacked on two runs in the seventh. Clay hit an RBI double, went to third on a fielding error at first base, and scored an unearned run on a double-steal. Willamette immediately countered with two runs to cut the lead to 9-4, as Whitworth belted a sacrifice fly to center field and Werkmeister-Martin hit an RBI single.
After the Warriors plated three runs in the top of the eighth, Wagner smacked his solo home run to right center with two outs in the bottom of the inning. Neither team scored in the ninth.
Willamette will return to Northwest Conference action this weekend when the Bearcats host nearby-rival Linfield University in a three-game series. The Bearcats will battle the Wildcats in a doubleheader on Saturday, April 2 starting at 12 p.m. (PDT). The teams will complete the series with a single game on Sunday, April 3 at 12 p.m.