CALDWELL, Idaho –
Drew Klassen pitched four spotless innings of relief and was helped by a five-run eighth inning outburst, as the College of Idaho salvaged a doubleheader split with Corban University at Wolfe Field.
Corban (13-19, 9-10 NAIA West) earned a 3-2 victory in the opener before the Yotes took a 6-3 win in Game 2.
Klassen had his best outing as a collegian, retiring all 11 batters he faced – including a key double play ball in the fifth inning that got the Yotes (27-10, 15-5) out of a jam.
Trailing 2-1 in the eighth, C of I got singles from
Hunter Hanson and
Mitch Skaggs, followed by a
Cole Mansanarez sacrifice bunt. The Warriors went to their pen, but before Jalen Garcia threw his first pitch, a balk was called to plate Hanson with the tying run. With the infield drawn in,
Dalton Ridgway blooped an RBI single into center to give the Yotes the lead.
Jake Bowman plated a run with a fielders' choice, with
Johnny Hyland scoring two with a double off the center field wall.
The loss spoiled a solid outing from Thomas Kerr, who fanned six in five-plus innings of four-hit ball for the Warriors. Benjamin Liogon was 2-for-4 for Corban, with both Hanson and Hyland recording two hits for the Yotes.
In the opener, Rilyn Lewchuk and Jarett Thoren combined on a six-hitter and worked out of a couple tough spots to earn the victory.
Corban struck first in the third, as Benjamin Liogon punched an RBI single into right, with Hanson answering in the bottom of the frame with a two-out RBI single to tie the score.
In the fifth, the Warriors pieced together the go-ahead run – taking advantage of two wild pitches and a passed ball to set up a Hayden Calvert RBI ground out. An inning later, a Vince Gonzalez RBI single extended the lead to 3-1.
C of I got a run back in the seventh on a two-out RBI single by Hyland and loaded the bases with two outs. The Warriors brought in Thoren, who struck out Hanson on a 3-2 fastball to get out of trouble. In the eighth, the reliever gave up a Skaggs leadoff single, but stranded the Yotes top hitter at third to end the threat – and worked a 1-2-3 ninth for the save.
Liogon and Garcia each had two hits in the win for Corban, with six different C of I hitters recording hits.
The Yotes hit the road for their next 12 games – starting next Friday night at Lewis-Clark State.
