Championship Game No. 1 Goes in Favor of Lewis-Clark State, 7-6
May 30, 2008
(Box Score)
"It's the championship game so you've got to come out strong," said Ward. "It's either win or go home. It's a great feeling to step up in such a big game, just a great feeling. We feel real confident (tomorrow). We have Mike Guerrero ready to go (on the mound)."
Matt Fitts, who becomes the second Warrior in program history to go 13-0, pitched the complete game. The junior right-hander overcame six runs (four earned) on nine hits. He fanned 10 and walked one batter. He extended his scoreless streak to 11 straight innings before Lee's Chris Dubon snapped that pitching success by lacing a double down the left-field line to score two runners. That hit gave Lee a 2-1 lead.
Before Dubon's hit, Ward lifted the first pitch of the fourth inning out of the park, staking Lewis-Clark to a 1-0 lead. It was his first homer of the World Series and seventh of the year. In his next at-bat, his drive to left field just glanced off the second row of signs past the fence and tied the score at 2-2 in the sixth.
Just like many times this Series, the Flames countered with an immediate comeback. Chris Warters drove in three runs with his shot to right before Dubon capped off the scoring with a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth frame.
Lee's Pablo Lopez, who came into game having allowed just one run on five hits in 12.0 innings this World Series, swallowed his first loss of the year in relief. Entering in the seventh inning with the bases loaded, Lopez allowed two runners to score as LCSC started its comeback. Paul Martin greeted Lopez with a single through the right-side of the infield before Kyle Greene cut the margin at 6-4 with an RBI-fielder's choice.
Lee appeared to make another response to the Warrior score by loading the bases in the bottom of the seventh with one out. But Fitts whiffed Warters and forced Dubon into a ground-out to end the threat.
After a scoreless eighth, LCSC put its first two runners on in the ninth on singles. Brent Wyatt then pushed them over on a sacrifice bunt. After a strike out, Greene stepped to the plate with two outs.
Entering with a .400 (6-for-15) average, Greene pushed a grounder past shortstop Brian Bistagne driving in Chris Valencia and Ryan Anderson to notch the count at 6-6.
The game-winning hit came off the stick of Ward on his RBI-double just two batters later.
Fitts, who won the contest on 122 pitches, stuck out one and forced two ground-outs in the bottom of the ninth to wrap up the victory.
Jeremy Hutslar, Warters and Dubon each had two hits for the Flames. Warters and Dubon each drove in three runs as well. Ward and Sean Halton picked up three hits for the Warriors while
NOTES:
...LCSC and Lee will meet in the "winner-take-all" Championship game meeting in back-to-back nights. It will mark the first time that the same two teams have played in the Championship final since Lewis-Clark and
...There were a combined four home runs and six extra base hits tonight.
...LCSC's Brian Ward becomes the first player to hit multi-homers in a game since teammate Beau Mills knocked out a Series-record three bombs in the 2007 Championship game.
...Chris Warters, the Flames 1B, hit his World Series best third home run.
...The top five hitters in the lineup for Lee posted seven of the team's nine base hits.
...The Warriors have won 14 of their last 16 World Series games overall.
...LCSC improves to 3-1 all-time against Lee in World Series play.
