CALDWELL, Idaho – The "Cardiac Coyotes" did it again. Rallying from a seven-run fifth inning deficit, the College of Idaho got a walk-off winner in their final at bat to stun rival Lewis-Clark State at Wolfe Field, 9-8.
The victory for the Yotes (24-13, 8-5 NAIA West) ended an eight-game losing streak to their in-state foes, while recording their 12th win this season when tied or trailing after seven innings.
Against the No. 13 ranked Warriors (25-8, 10-3), C of I needed a five-run seventh inning to tie the game, and then a leadoff triple in the ninth from Cole Mansanerez to start the final rally. After a pair of intentional walks loaded the bases, Seth Champlin hit a slow roller to L-C second baseman Max Whitt, who bobbled the ball while trying to make a throw home, allowing Mansanerez to score the winning run.
Zach Fabricius went the distance for the Coyotes, working around nine hits and three errors behind him to win for the fifth time in six starts. The lefty did not walk a batter and struck out five.
The collapse by L-C was the first time since the 1988 season that the Warriors had lost a game when leading by seven or more runs. It also was the first walk-off win for C of I against the Lewiston "9" since 2003.
The visitors jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third inning, taking advantage of two Coyote errors – with Seth Brown providing the big hit with a bloop two-run double down the left field line. L-C made it 5-0 in the fourth on a Cabe Reitan RBI single, and 8-1 after a Willie Allen two-run home run.
C of I chipped away at the deficit in the bottom of the fifth, as a Jake Hennessey RBI triple and a Chase Miller RBI single cut the margin to 8-3. In the seventh, a Miller RBI single and a Jordan Grubbs two-run single got the Yotes within a pair, before Matt Hamilton tied the game with a long two-run homer to right-center.
The Yotes out-hit L-C 12-9, including a 3-for-4 day from Hennessey and two hits each by Miller, Hamilton, and Mitch Viydo.
Reitan was 3-for-5 in the loss for the Warriors, with Brown and Julian Ramon each recording two hits. Starter Beau Kerns went six innings, allowing three runs on six hits, striking out six, in a no-decision.
Game 2 of the four-game, home-and-home series, is set for tomorrow at 3 p.m. Prior to the game, a special on-field dedication for the new seating bowl at the stadium will take place – including four ceremonial first pitches.
