LA MIRADA, Calif. – Both
Devon Pogue and Cole Mansanerez recorded five hits on the day, as the College of Idaho split a pair of games on the middle day of their trip to Southern California.
The Coyotes (12-2) squandered a 4-1 lead in the ninth inning of today's opener with Biola, losing 5-4, before hanging on for a 4-3 victory in the evening tilt against Bethesda University.
C of I had command of Game 1, using a three-run third inning to gain an early lead. The Yotes loaded the bases with no outs, with Pogue plating the first run with a walk, with
Dalton Ridgway delivering a run after reaching on an error and
Jake Hennessey adding a run after being hit by a pitch.
The Coyotes would make it 4-0 in the seventh on a leadoff homer from
Mitch Skaggs, but watched as Biola (5-10) got a run back in the bottom of the seven on a Jake Laragusa RBI double. The Eagles loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth against C of I closer
Bobby Wright, with Jimmy Gallarda gapping a three-run double – scoring when the throw to the infield eluded the C of I defense.
The loss spoiled quality outings from
Riley O'Brien and
Kaleb Price – O'Brien allowing three hits and fanning four in four shutout innings, with Price allowing a run on two hits in four innings of work.
Pogue was 3-for-3; Mansanerez was 3-for-4, with
Hunter Hanson adding two hits in the loss for the Yotes.
In Game 2, late inning runs paved the way for the Coyote win, as Mansanerez broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh with an RBI single to score pinch runner
Seth Champlin, while in the ninth, Wright scored ahead of a throw on an infield grounder by Hanson.
The Yotes needed the runs, as Nathan Munoz got the Flames (8-8) within a run in the ninth with an RBI single, but catcher
Sam Grise picked Munoz off first and
Joel Martin got Adrian Flores to fly out to end the game.
Jake Eddy got the win, going seven innings of two-hit ball, waling four and striking out seven, with Pogue going 2-for-4 and Hanson 2-for-5. Mansanerez had two hits, including his first home run of the season in the fifth that gave C of I a 2-1 lead.
C of I closes their California trip tomorrow morning with a rematch with Bethesda at 10 a.m. (PT)
