CALDWELL, Idaho –
Mitch Skaggs went 2-for-5 with a career-high six RBI helping the College of Idaho to their first series sweep of British Columbia in 15 years, taking today's finale, 9-3, at Wolfe Field.
The win extended the Coyotes (22-7, 10-3 NAIA West North) win streak to seven games and pulled the team within a half-game of first-place Lewis-Clark State in the league standings. It was the first sweep of the T-Birds (20-12, 6-6) since April 28-29, 2001 – including a walk-off win against longtime MLB pitcher, Jeff Francis.
Miscues plagued UBC on the day, as a dropped fly ball by centerfielder Griffy Goyer prolonged the second inning. The Yotes capitalized, as
Hunter Hanson legged out a two-out bases loaded infield single to give the hosts a 1-0 left, with Skaggs following with a ringing double over the head of leftfielder Bruce Yari, clearing the bases to make it 4-0.
Two innings later, Skaggs launched a long two-run home run to left-center, his fifth of the season, giving the hosts a 6-0 lead.
UBC clawed back into the game in the middle innings, as Yari singled in a run in the fifth and Vinny Martin slugged a two-run homer in the sixth to pull the T-Birds within 6-3.
The Coyotes responded with an unearned run in the sixth, as Nate Hundley reached on an error, moved to second on a wild pitch and was bunted to third. Skaggs drove him home with an infield out to make it 7-3, with C of I putting the game away an inning later by plating two – one on a
Bobby Wright sacrifice fly, the other on UBC's fourth error of the day.
Riley O'Brien got the win for the Yotes, allowing two runs on five hits in five innings of work.
Kaleb Price logged a four inning save, working around four hits and a pair of walks. Skaggs,
Cole Mansanarez,
Dalton Ridgway and
Jake Bowman all had two hits for the Yotes.
UBC starter, Connor Noble, took the loss, allowing six runs (two earned) on seven hits. Lucas Soper and Kyle Macomb each had two hits for the T-Birds, who have lost 7-of-8.
C of I closes out the first half of the NAIA West season with a four-game series next weekend at Simpson University.
NOTE – Skaggs became the first C of I player to record six RBI in a game since Jarel Lewis had six RBI vs. Oregon Tech on April 7, 2012.
