KLAMATH FALLS, OR – Warrior Baseball, ranked 12th in the NAIA, completed the four-game sweep of Oregon Tech on Sunday in dramatic fashion. LC State used a stellar start by Mason Goodson in game one to secure an 11-1 victory, and Brandon Nguyen lifted the Warriors over the Owls 6-5 in game two with a two-run home run.
The victories improve the LC State record to 18-3 overall and 10-3 in CCC action.
GAME ONE: No. 12 LC State def. OIT 11-1
The Oregon Tech starter struggled to find the zone to start the game and the Warriors took advantage on the bases. Walks to Nguyen and Bulla Ephan started the top of the first and Bo Stinson took over on the bases for Ephan. Both came in to score on wild pitches for a 2-0 lead.
Payton Smith doubled in the top of the second and Ryan Prescott was hit by a pitch to put two on. A groundout by Ty Rusko had both in scoring position and Nguyen drove in the pair with an RBI single to center.
Ephan drew his second walk of the game to put Stinson on the basepaths and a single by Bryce Johnson put runners on the corners. Jackson Reed made it a 5-0 lead with a sacrifice fly.
LC State starter Goodson struck out two batters in each of the first three frames to keep the Owls off the board.
The margin grew to 6-0 in the top of the sixth after Smith singled to lead off the frame. He snagged his first stolen base of the year and came around to score on a base hit by Nguyen.
Reed hammered a two-run home run in the top of the seventh for an 8-0 advantage before OIT scored its first run of the game in the home half of the eighth. A pair of hits and a sacrifice fly had the score at 8-1.
The Warriors continued their offensive onslaught in the ninth. Kason O’Neil singled and Danner Salisbury was hit by a pitch. Reed singled to bring in one before a walk to Ryan Prescott kept the inning going. Ty Rusko singled through the right side to drive in two runs to give LC State an 11-1 cushion heading into the bottom of the ninth.
STAT RECAP
Nguyen, Johnson, Reed, Smith and Rusko each had two hits in the contest and Reed drove in four runs.
Goodson earned his first win as a starter after five innings of shutout baseball. He struck out eight batters and walked one. Zak Sullivan tossed two innings of relief with five strikeouts and one hit allowed, and Tyler Logan closed out the final two frames with two strikeouts.
GAME TWO: No. 12 LC State def. OIT 6-5
LC State carried its momentum into the first inning of the second game as Nguyen led off the game with a base hit up the middle. Jaha continued his stellar weekend with a two-run shot to center for a quick 2-0 lead.
After a 1-2-3 first inning on the mound by Jace Taylor, the Warriors doubled their lead in the third inning. Zane Bidwell legged out a bunt single and moved to third on a double by Nguyen. A single by Smith brought in the pair.
OIT scored a run in the home half of the third, but O’Neil retired the Owls in order in the fourth with two strikeouts. Oregon Tech tallied two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to take a 5-4 lead over LC State.
The Warriors were down to their last strike, but Nguyen delivered in the top of the ninth. Sam Weber tallied a pinch hit single with two outs before Nguyen crushed a ball over the wall to put LC State in front 6-5.
Jackson Cloud shut the door in the bottom of the ninth and finished the game with a strikeout.
STAT RECAP
Nguyen led the Warriors with three hits in the game including the game-winning home run. The top three in the lineup, Nguyen, Smith and Jaha, each drove in two runs.
Taylor tossed three innings and struck out two, and O’Neil fanned three in three innings. Zach Elsos tossed 2/3 of an inning and Cloud earned the win with the final 2.1 innings. He struck out three and did not allow a run.
UP NEXT
LC State returns home for a four-game CCC series against Corban (Ore.) Mar. 21-22.
