REDDING, Calif. – Gregg Simonds and Jesse Dodd each had five hits on the afternoon, as The College of Idaho opened up NAIA West Grouping play with a doubleheader sweep of Simpson University at Tiger Field.
The Yotes (7-7, 2-0) rallied from an early deficit to win Game 1, 5-2, then used an eight-run eighth inning to win Game 2, 13-5.
After stranding the bases loaded in the third, the Redhawks (1-14, 0-2) cashed in a similar situation in the fourth, getting RBI singles from Jonathan Ruiz and Richard Asdourian to take a 2-0 lead. However, Taylor Nicholson got out of trouble – and retired 14 of the next 15 men he faced.
The C of I got even in the sixth, as Seth Champlin singled with the bases loaded to make it 2-1, with a Nick Muncy grounded out tying the score. The Yotes took the lead for good in the eight, as back-to-back RBI singles by Champlin and Muncy pushed the lead to 4-2, with the visitors adding an insurance run in the ninth.
Nicholson went the distance, allowing 10 hits and striking out five for his third win. Simonds went 3-for-5 in Game 1, with both Champlin and Dodd logging two hits. Asdourian went 3-for-4 for SU.
Game 2 saw the Yotes jump out to a 5-0 lead – including solo home runs by Sam Johnston in the second and Dodd in the third. The C of I would blow the game open in the eighth, sending 12 men to the plate – getting an RBI single from Simonds, a two-run single from Brent Mehling, a Jake Hennessey RBI single, a pinch-hit RBI double by Tom LaMue, and a two-run double from Jarel Lewis.
Ryan Eddy picked up his third win of the season, allowing four hits in seven strong innings, striking out eight. Lewis and Dodd each logged 3-for-4 games with two RBI, Champlin and Simonds each had two hits, with Mehling adding three RBI.
The two teams close out the four-game series with a doubleheader tomorrow at 11 a.m.
