KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. –
Niall Manning tossed seven shutout innings and both
Johnny Hyland and
Cole Mansanarez each drove in three runs in Game 2, as the College of Idaho split a doubleheader at Oregon Tech inside Kiger Stadium.
The host Owls (16-28, 7-20 NAIA West) won the NAIA West counting game, 4-0, behind a three-hit shutout from Adam Kandra, before the Yotes used a five-run third inning to win the non-conference nightcap, 7-2.
Kandra was the story in Game 1, working around three singles, three walks and two OIT errors to end Tech's six-game losing streak to the Coyotes (30-15, 17-10). The hurler did not allow a runner to reach third base in the contest and struck out eight men in the winning effort.
OIT would break a scoreless tie in the sixth, as Danny Topps tripled and scored on a Kai Fong single. Evan Johnson doubled to put runners at second and third, with a wild pitch plating a run, as did a Ryan Grant single to make it 3-0.
Topps was 2-for-4 in the win for Tech, with three different C of I batters recording one hit.
Riley O'Brien allowed three runs on five hits to take the loss for the Coyotes.
The Yotes answered the bell in the third, sending 10 batters to the plate. An error, a walk and a bunt single loaded the bases, with Hyland clearing the bags with a three-run triple. Mansanarez added a sacrifice fly and
Hunter Hanson roped an RBI single to give the visitors a 5-0 lead.
C of I would tack on a pair in the sixth on a two-run Mansanarez single – giving Manning more than enough cushion. The freshman allowed just four hits and did not walk a batter – striking out a career-high nine – to log his second win of 2016.
Bobby Wright was 3-for-4, with
Devon Pogue, Hyland and Hanson all recording two hits.
The Yotes, deadlocked with British Columbia in the league standings – with both teams vying for the host berth for the NAIA West Championships – meet each other next weekend in Vancouver for a crucial four-game series.
