SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – The Bushnell University baseball team completed a four-game weekend sweep of Willamette Valley rival Corban University on Saturday in the opening weekend of Cascade Collegiate Conference action. The Beacons took the opener 4-1 before claiming the afternoon tilt, 9-7.
 
The Warriors, who are 2-5 against Bushnell this year, move to 12-13-1 overall, 0-4 in conference. Bushnell improves to 6-19 on the season and sits at 4-0 in CCC action. In just two days they have tripled their season win total for their inaugural campaign.
 
Head Coach Tommy Richard said, "This was a good weekend for the Beacons and definitely a step in the right direction. I think the lesson to be learned is to stay in the present moment and play the game one page at a time. When we do that we seem to be able to compartmentalize and take advantage of opportunities when they arise. I am proud of the effort and I thought the energy was good from the team all weekend long."
 
GAME ONE: Bushnell 4, Corban 1
 
After the offense doused the Warriors for 25 hits on Friday, the Beacons quickly found themselves in a good old fashioned pitchers duel in Saturday's morning clash as Abbott Haffar went up against Corban ace Zach Simon.
 
Haffar (1-4) was up to the task, throwing eight innings and allowing just one run as he struck out seven batters to record his first victory of the season. Ethan Paulson came in to secure the save, throwing a 1-2-3 ninth.
 
"The team brought the energy and stayed live through all four of our games this weekend," said Haffar. They fired me up and helped me to do my job. WIN. That's it. We keep moving forward and keep getting better. I am looking forward to the next opportunity.
 
Simon (3-3) had a strong game of his own, allowing one earned run in seven innings of work, striking out eight Beacons in the process.
 
Bushnell struck first in this one, scoring two runs in the fourth inning. Jeff Fripp came home on a passed ball for the games first score, and Jaxson Fraser soon followed with an RBI double, plating Jacob Stoner.
 
Fripp also added a solo home run in the eighth inning, his fourth of the season. He, along with Brendan Frazier and Jaxson Fraser each had two hits. Peyton Hino went 0-for-3 at the plate, but reach base twice on a pair of hit-by-pitch, his fifth and sixth of the weekend.
 
GAME TWO: Bushnell 9, Corban 7
 
The Beacons were out-hit 11-7 in the night cap, but got the scores when they needed them, including three home runs. Jameson Hussey connected on a two-run shot in the third inning, that at the time gave the home team a 6-1 advantage. Reece Carganilla scored his first career dinger in the fourth, and Fripp posted his fifth of the season in the fifth.
 
Jahshua Yacapin (2-0) secured the win for Bushnell, throwing the first five innings. Kai Keamo worked the final four innings, striking out four batters and earning his second save.  
 
Keamo didn't allow an earned run and worked himself out of a pair of tight spots. In the sixth inning he started off a little wild as the Warriors loaded the bases with one out with a walk and a pair of hit batters. He then got the pinch-hitting Simon on a strike out, and Estenio Sede flew out to left to end the threat.
 
Corban made things interesting in the top of the ninth, scoring two unearned runs on a two-out double by Kairos Torres-Umi. Once again, Keamo killed the rally as the Warriors flew out to centerfield to end the game.
 
Hussey added a pair of double to his home run and finished the game hitting 3-for-4 with three RBI and a pair of runs scored for the Beacons. Carganilla also had two hits and Noah Montoya went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and three runs scored.
 
Bushnell returns to action on Tuesday, traveling to Monmouth for a non-conference tilt with Western Oregon University at 4:00 pm. Next weekend will see the circuit schedule resume as the Beacons travel to face Eastern Oregon University for the first time on Saturday and Sunday.