CALDWELL, Idaho – A big afternoon from Chase Miller and a pair of dominating performances on the mound lifted the College of Idaho to a doubleheader sweep of Simpson University at Wolfe Field.
Miller was 5-for-8 with six runs scored in a pair of C of I (23-13, 7-5 NAIA West) 11-0 victories to win the four-game series from the Redhawks. Five Yotes pitchers combined to limit SU to just 10 hits in the shutout wins.
After going just 1-for-12 with men in scoring position in Saturday's Game 2 loss, the hosts put their struggles behind them early in today's opener. After loading the bases in the first with no outs, a Cole Mansanerez sacrifice fly and an RBI ground out by Matt Hamilton gave the Yotes a 2-0 lead.
C of I put the game out of reach in the second, sending 12 batters to the plate in chasing Redhawks (12-25, 2-10) starter Humberto Solario. Jake Hennessey doubled the Yotes lead with a two-run single, with Mansanerez roping an RBI single into left to make it 5-0. Solario lost command – walking Mitch Viydo and Seth Champlin with the bases loaded to force in runs, with reliever Zachary Morgan walking Brady Mooney to make it 8-0.
The Yotes would invoke the mercy rule with two runs in the fifth – as Miller scored on a wild pitch and Jordan Grubbs trotted home from third as Hamilton reached on a fielding error.
It was more than enough for Gary Koopman, who recorded his first win as a Coyote, going six-plus innings, working around four hits and three walks. Miller and Hennessey each had two hits for C of I, with Casey Meyer going 2-for-3 for the Redhawks.
It was all C of I early in Game 2 – plating five runs in the opening frame. Grubbs got the Yotes on the board with an RBI single, with Mansanerez and Hamilton following with back-to-back RBI doubles. Johnny Hyland plated a run with a ground out, with a Champlin sacrifice fly pushing the lead to 5-0.
Making his third start of the year, Viydo worked out of a pair of jams in his five inning outing, allowing just five hits and striking out a season-high seven in picking up his second win.
The Yotes offense added two in the fifth – including an RBI infield single by Hyland – then broke it open with a four-run sixth, with Miller driving in two with a single and Andrew Peterson roping a two-run double for his first hit of the year.
Miller was 3-for-4 with three runs scored in the win, with Mansanerez going 2-for-3 and Sam Grise adding two hits.
C of I returns to action on Thursday afternoon, hosting rival Lewis-Clark State in the first of a four-game weekend series, beginning at 3 p.m.
