LEWISTON, ID – Evan Canfield held the No. 22 team in the NAIA to just one run before Jace Taylor shut the door to lead LC State Baseball past Wayland Baptist (Texas) 9-1 in the NAIA Opening Round, presented by Avista. The Warrior offense did damage with nine runs on 14 hits, including four by Dominic Signorelli.
Canfield and Taylor combined for 13 strikeouts and seven of LC State’s nine batters recorded an RBI.
The Warriors continue the tournament on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. at Harris Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
LC State put up the game’s first run with the help of Wayland Baptist pitching miscues in the top of the first. Jack Sheward walked and Charlie Updegrave singled to put two on, then walks to Jakob Marquez and Brandon Cabrera gave the Warriors a 1-0 edge.
The Warriors doubled the lead to 2-0 in the top of the second. Bulla Ephan started the offense with a base hit down the left field line and Alex Sol took over on the bases as the courtesy runner. Ike George singled and Updegrave lined a single into center to plate Sol.
Wayland Baptist answered with a run in the bottom of the second with a solo shot off the bat of Sinclair Pimentel, but LC State responded with two in the third.
Dominic Signorelli, Noah Weintraub and Izzy Madariaga notched three straight hits to bring in a run. Ephan made it a 4-1 lead with a sacrifice fly to center. Signorelli blasted a ball to right for a home run to grow the advantage to 5-1 in the fifth.
Canfield retired the side in order in the third, fourth and fifth innings.
The Warriors struck for three runs in the top of the sixth with home runs by Sheward and Marquez. Ike George led off the frame with a single to left and Sheward sent a ball over the wall in left center. Marquez added to the lead with a home run to left for an 8-1 cushion.
Two more runs came in for LC State in the top of the eighth after Marquez was hit by a pitch. Sol took over on the bases and Signorelli drove in a run with a double to left.
Jace Taylor struck out the side in the eighth, all looking. He ended the contes with another backwards K.
STAT RECAP
Canfield earned the win after seven strikeouts in six innings. He allowed just one run on two hits. Taylor earned the three-inning save with just one hit allowed and six strikeouts.
Signorelli led the offense with a 4-for-5 performance at the plate and two RBI. Sheward drove in a pair a runs and George, Updegrave and Madaraiaga each totaled two hits.
UP NEXT
The Warriors take on the winner of No. 4 Hope International (Calif.) and Oregon Tech on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.
