CALDWELL, Idaho –
Mitch Skaggs went a combined 4-for-7 with seven RBI and both College of Idaho starting pitchers recorded quality outings, as the Coyotes completed a key doubleheader sweep of British Columbia at Wolfe Field.
Skaggs knocked in five runs in an 8-2 victory in today's opener, following in up with a two-run single that plated the eventual winning runs in a 4-3 decision in Game 2. The wins helped the Yotes (21-7, 9-3 NAIA West North) extend their win streak to six games, while remaining a game back of Lewis-Clark State for the top spot in the division.
Facing unbeaten UBC (20-11, 6-5) starter Alex Webb, the Yotes pounced on the right-hander in the opening two frames.
Hunter Hanson led off the first with a single and scored on a two-out
Dalton Ridgway RBI single. An inning later,
Bobby Wright tripled and scored when T-Birds third baseman Anthony Cusati misplayed a
Jake Hennessey grounder. A hit-by-pitch and a second UBC error loaded the bases, with Skaggs clearing the bags with a long single to right-center, pushing the lead to 5-0.
Hanson made it 6-0 in the fourth, blooping a two-out RBI double just out of the reach of diving left fielder Brenden Rose to score
Seth Champlin from first. C of I capped their scoring in the seventh, as Skaggs launched a two-run homer to left, his fourth of the season.
It was more than enough for starter
Zach Draper, who battled through seven strong innings for his sixth win of 2016. The lefty allowed just four hits and struck out seven, with his lone mistake a fifth inning solo homer by Lucas Soper.
Both Hanson and Skaggs had two hits for the Yotes, with Rose going 2-for-4 in the loss for UBC. Webb allowed five earned runs and struck out nine in the loss for the T-Birds.
Game 2 started the same for C of I – as Hanson legged out a first inning infield single, stole second, and scampered home on a Ridgway RBI single through the right side. UBC answered in the second, as a two-out single and balk set up a Mike Orosz RBI single to center to tie the score.
The Yotes regained the lead in the bottom of the frame, as Champlin and
Sam Grise were hit by pitches and Nate Hundley legged out a single on a would-be sacrifice bunt. Champlin would score the go-ahead run on a wild pitch, with Skaggs chopping a two-out, two-run single through the left side of the infield to make it 4-1.
Jake Eddy worked out of trouble throughout his seven inning start, getting key double play balls to end both the third and seventh innings. The righty surrendered just four hits and three walks, striking out six in the win.
Ridgway enter in relief for the Yotes in the eighth and promptly gave up RBI singles to Cusati and Rose to pull UBC within 4-3. With runners at first and third and one out, the right-hander got John Whaley to pop out and struck out Braeden Allemann to end the threat.
In the ninth, Ridgway gave up a leadoff single to Lichel Hirakawa-Kao and was replaced by Wright, the Yotes closer. The hard-thrower got Anthony Olson to bounce into a double play and coaxed Bruce Yari to fly out to center to pick up his team-leading fourth save of the year.
Hanson, Skaggs and Hundley each had two of the Yotes 11 hits in the nightcap, with Yari going 2-for-4 for the T-Birds.
The series finale is tomorrow morning with first pitch set for 11 a.m.
