HERMISTON, Ore. – For the first time this season, Eastern Oregon University Baseball played a new opponent as the Mountaineers took on the Corban University Warriors on Saturday. The Mounties split day one with the Warriors to push their overall record to 3-7 and their conference record to 3-3.
 
Game 1 – Eastern Oregon 3, Corban 2
How it Happened
• The Mountaineers relied on the pitching of Jacob Farnsworth early on as he went 6.1 innings in the start. He fanned seven batters and gave up just two hits and two runs in the win. EOU outhit Corban (5-17, 4-6 CCC) and had no errors while the Warriors committed two.
• Farnsworth started the contest retiring the top of the order. In the bottom half EOU managed to load the bases with a chance to score early. Corban was able to escape the jam despite having an error on the infield that allowed EOU to load the bases.
• It was a pitcher's duel through the first five innings as neither team allowed a run to score. Both squads were stout on defense until the sixth when EOU finally caught a break and ended the 0-0 affair. Farnsworth worked a 1-2-3 frame to end the top half of the six and the Mountaineers rewarded him for his work.
• EOU got its first three runners on base thanks to a pair of walks and a hit by pitch. With the bases loaded, Easton Watterson was up to bat for EOU. He was walked as the pitching staff for Corban struggled to find the strike zone. The bases loaded walk brought home Kagen Kennedy for the first run.
• Leading 1-0 with the bases still loaded, Blake Loftus stepped to the plate and delivered an RBI single to the shortstop that pushed the Mountaineers' lead to 2-0. Corban managed to get the next two batters out, but another bases-loaded walk scored Isaac Chamberlain and gave EOU 3-0 lead after the sixth.
• Corban's two runs of the game came in the top of the seventh as they got the first batters on with a walk and a double. A groundout to second base scored the first run to make it a 3-1 contest. Two batters later a sacrifice fly plated home the final run to make it 3-2.
• The scored remained 3-2 the rest of the game as EOU's defense along with the relief pitching of Austin Brown helped the Mountaineers take the series opener. Brown was credited the save as EOU closed out a near three-hour long opening game.
 
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
• Blake Loftus had one RBI while going 2-5 at the plate to lead EOU.
• Brooks Dyer also tallied two hits in four plate appearances.
• Both Trevor Curl and Easton Watterson had one RBI in the win.
• Jacob Farnsworth picked up his first win of the season to go to 1-2. He worked 6.1 innings and struck out seven.
• Austin Brown was credited the save, his first of the year. In 2.2 innings of work he fanned two batters and did not allow a hit.
 
For the Warriors
• Nate Cantonwine had two hits in three at bats to lead the Warriors. He also scored one run in the contest. He was the only player to tally a hit.
• Mason Shaw suffered the loss in the start to fall to 0-3. He pitched five complete innings and fanned six batters.
 
Game 2 – Corban 7, Eastern Oregon 4
How it Happened
• Game two was a bit higher scoring and saw a lot more total hits from the two teams. Corban had the slight edge finishing with 11, while EOU had 10. The Warriors did not commit an error this time around while the Mountaineers had four in the contest.
• Eastern once again grabbed the games first lead with a run scored in the second. Starter Kolbe Bales worked a 1-2-3 frame to start the second, allowing EOU get out on offense quickly and go up. Two hits and two walks loaded the bases for EOU and it was once again a walk that scored the first run. Easton Watterson drew the walk that allowed Trevor Curl to come home and make it a 1-0 lead for EOU.
•  Corban responded in the top of the third to tie the game at 1-1. An RBI single that hugged the right field line was the difference maker that allowed a Warrior runner to come home. Both teams got a hit in the fourth but made nothing of the chance and the score remained 1-1 after four.
• EOU retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth scoring one run to go up 2-1. A 1-2-3 frame to start the fifth got the bats back out for the Mounties. EOU got two runners on before Corban made a pitching change. A balk call on the new pitcher allowed the run to come in and gave EOU the 2-1 advantage.
• The Warriors bats came to life in the top half of the sixth as they scored three runs on a pair of hits to grab their first lead of the day. Two walks to start the inning got runners on for Corban before a deep RBI single to left tied the game at 2-2. A sacrifice fly to right and single to the same spot plated home the next two runs to give the Warriors the 4-2 advantage.
• EOU got both runs back in the bottom of the sixth thanks to another bases loaded situation. The Mountaineers scored the first run once again following a pitching change as an RBI walk on Curl scored Blake Loftus. The next at bat saw Kagen Kennedy take a hit by pitch to score Brooks Dyer.
• The score remained tied at 4-all until the final inning action. A single and an intentional walk got two runners on and a bases clearing double to right plated home both to make a 6-4 game. The final run for Corban came on a wild pitch that scored the runner from third before EOU ended the inning. The Mounties only managed a hit in the bottom of the innings but were unable to mount the comeback to split day one.
 
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
• Trevor Curl was 2-5 with an RBI and a run scored to lead EOU in game two.
• Brooks Dyer also scored a run and had two hits in four at bats.
• Carsten Manderbach had two hits as well in six plate appearances.
• Kolbe Bales led the pitching staff with five strikeouts in three complete innings pitched.
 
For the Warriors
• Nate Cantonwine was 2-3 with two RBI and a run scored.
• Estenio Sede also had two hits in five at bats to go along with an RBI.
• Kyle Clay went 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
• Maxwell Jeffrey was 2-5 in the contest and scored one run.
• Braedyn Chong picked up the win to go to 1-0. He pitched two complete and had one strikeout.
• Starter Nate Martin had five strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work.
 
By the Numbers
17 – The Mountaineers totaled 17 strikeouts on the day against the Warriors.
29 – Between the two contests, EOU left a total of 29 runners on base.
17 – EOU drew 17 walks in two games against Corban. 11 came in game two alone which is a single game this season.
4 – The Mounties were hit by pitch four times in game one, which is single game high this year.
 
Up Next
• The Mountaineers and Warriors close out the series tomorrow (Sunday) with another doubleheader on tap. First pitch times are set for 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. PT.

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