May 26—Suddenly, it was over.

The Lewis-Clark State Warriors' return to the Avista NAIA World Series lasted all of three games and concluded with an anticlimactic three consecutive popouts in the bottom of the ninth in front of a Series-best Memorial Day Monday crowd of 3,738 at Harris Field in Lewiston.

Once in a seven-run hole, the Warriors narrowed the gap, but couldn't catch up, dropping an 8-5 elimination game to the top-seeded Taylor Trojans of Upland, Ind.

LC State dropped its first-round game Friday to eighth-seeded Tennessee Wesleyan 12-4 in a contest delayed by nearly two and a half hours and done well after midnight, then returned to the yard 17 hours later and mercy-ruled second-seeded Georgia Gwinnett 12-1 in seven innings.

While the Warriors (45-9) almost certainly had more left in the tank, it wasn't enough to topple the top seed.

"Obviously, if you're not the last team standing, it's a disappointing end, but they have a lot to be proud of," said LC State coach Jeremiah Robbins, who returned to the school this past year after a seven-year hiatus. "I'm proud of them. Proud of the efforts they made throughout the tournament, and more so the body of work throughout the whole season."

Taylor (54-6), the top-ranked team in the NAIA, posted six runs in the top of the third to take a commanding 8-1 lead and pitched a combined six scoreless innings to quell the home team.

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It was an opportunity that Taylor coach Kyle Gould wanted for his guys — and he told Robbins how much it meant to him.

"We're honored to be here in Lewiston on Memorial Day, playing in the World Series and playing against LC State, who is the premier program in the NAIA, at this incredible facility," Gould said. "It's an incredible honor, but a great opportunity, and we have a good team, too. And I thought our guys came out and played well."

Played well, the Trojans certainly did.

One big inning

There's a pitching machine back in Upland, Ind., that simulates a sidearm delivery with a bit of ride, Taylor first baseman Sam Gladd said.

"It's a weird machine, we all hate it," Gladd said. "But coach says that it's good for us, (so) we gotta keep hitting off of it."

Against LCSC reliever Zach Elsos, equipped with a delivery rather similar to that infamous machine, Gladd said all that work paid off.

With two runners on, Gladd blasted a 1-1 pitch over the center-field wall for a home run to extend Taylor's lead to 5-1.

As he rounded the bases, his teammates poured out of the dugout, anticipating his arrival. After an embrace with his teammates at the plate, Gladd galloped toward the elated mob and slammed his helmet on the ground in celebration.

"Gosh, euphoria. I don't even know how to describe it," Gladd said of the moments following his big blast. "Just kind of black out, and you see everyone, all your boys after at home plate — it's just pure joy."

Boasting the nation's best offense by runs scored (667), Taylor has made big innings its bread and butter, Gould said.

The Trojans got exactly what they were looking for in the top of the third, sending three more runs across home plate after Gladd's three-run blast, prompting LCSC to use three pitchers and throw a combined 50 pitches against the Trojans' finest artillery.

LCSC starter Landon Webb conceded four singles to the first six Taylor batters in the first. Jordan Malott, the son of 10-time Professional Bowlers Association champion Wes Malott, smacked an RBI single and Brennan Frickel smacked a sac-fly to make it 2-0 Trojans.

Elsos then covered 1 2/3 frames before getting pulled in the third for Kason O'Neil, who allowed three more runs without recording an out. Finally, Jace Taylor — after throwing a wild pitch that permitted one of O'Neil's runners to score — induced a long flyball to get out of the fateful inning.

Robbins said that the Warriors pitched differently than he had expected against a talented Taylor ballclub.

"It's Day 3 of the World Series, and you've got to be good or you're going to get whacked around," Robbins said. "But it is what it is. I tip my hat to Taylor. They had some quality at-bats and laid off some breaking stuff, and we missed over the plate way too much, and that's conducive to a six-run inning."

The Warriors had a shot at their own monster inning in the bottom of the first, loading the bases after scoring a run, but Jordan Justice — pinch-hitting for Ryan Prescott — struck out on six pitches to end the frame.

"Another guy that's been here a while, too, that just competes," Robbins said of Justice. "It was a great at-bat, guy was just better than his barrel, so it happens."

Pitchers' paradise

The Warriors' bats responded with a string of runs in the bottom of the third, highlighted by Prescott's RBI double to deep left field. Bulla Ephan and Payton Smith made it 8-4 with two more swings of the bat.

Taylor, Zak Sullivan and Jackson Cloud combined for 6 1/3 scoreless frames on the mound to keep the Trojans in check.

The trio benefited from a number of standout defensive plays, including several pickoffs from catcher Bulla Ephan to catch runners stealing, and a standout play from third baseman Jackson Jaha, who caught a relay throw from left fielder Brandon Nguyen and threw a Trojans runner out at second after he attempted to stretch a bloop single into a double in the seventh.

Nguyen and Jaha smacked consecutive singles in the bottom of the sixth and senior second baseman Izzy Madariaga slugged a sac-fly to cut Taylor's lead to 8-5.

LC State did not record much more success as Taylor relief pitchers Nathan Frady, Jake Boyer and Gage Gongwer combined for 6 2/3 two-run innings, with the latter two shutting out the Warriors to quell any hope of a home team comeback.

"Jake (Boyer) has thrown in all three games now. Gage (Gongwer) threw in the first game, warmed up in the second one. Nathan (Frady) threw 60 pitches in the first one. Nick (Crabtree) threw in the first one, warmed up in the second one," Gould said. "But they're really tough guys, and they're battle tested and they care a lot."

'Not a failure'

While the Warriors' stay in the World Series was abbreviated — each of Robbins' six other LCSC squads finished in the top three and three won national championships — Robbins said that this season is something for the Warriors to be proud of.

"I don't consider this a failure," Robbins said. "What they did in 2026 is awesome. That will move them forward to some good things. The LC State program is in a very good spot right now, and it's ready to take another big step next year."

Taylor 206 000 000—8 13 1

Lewis-Clark State 103 001 000—5 10 0

Crabtree, Frady (3), Boyer (5), Gongwer (7) and Schrock; Webb, Elsos (2), O'Neil (3), Taylor (3), Sullivan (6), Cloud (8) and Ephan.

Taylor hits — Gladd 2 (HR), Kennedy 2 (2B), Malott 2, Simpson 2, Frickel, Manning, Sutter, Roemmich, Kunkel.

Lewis-Clark State hits — Nguyen 2, Jaha 2, Reed 2, Ephan 2, Prescott (2B), Johnson.

Stars of the game

Taylor senior first baseman SAM GLADD belted a three-run home run in the top of the third that sparked a six-run inning for the Taylor Trojans.

Lewis-Clark State third baseman JACKSON JAHA created a run, stealing a base and scoring off a wild pitch in the bottom of the first. He also provided expert defense, throwing Taylor's Quinn Kunkel out at second in the top of the seventh after he hit a bloop single.

Quote of note

"What they did in 2026 is awesome. That will move them forward to some good things. The LC State program is in a very good spot right now, and it's ready to take another big step next year." — LC State coach Jeremiah Robbins reflecting on his team's season.

Taylor can be reached at 208-848-2260, staylor@lmtribune.com, or on X or Instagram @Sam_C_Taylor.