VANCOUVER, B.C. – Tyler Enns punched a two-out, walk-off RBI single through the left side in the bottom of the 11th inning, lifting the University of British Columbia to a 4-3 victory over the College of Idaho at the NAIA West Grouping Championships inside T-Bird Park.
The T-Birds (38-18) will meet Lewis-Clark State in the semifinals tomorrow, while the Coyotes will play Marymount California University at 10 a.m. (PT) in an elimination game. A win for C of I (35-19) would earn an afternoon battle with Corban – with the winner of that game earning a trip to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round.
The Yotes jumped on UBC starter Connor Noble in the first inning, as
Cole Mansanarez lined a two-out RBI single, followed by a two-run triple from
Dalton Ridgway to give the visitors a 3-0 lead.
Starter
Zach Draper did his best to hold the lead – allowing an Enns RBI ground out in the second inning – the only blemish in the first seven innings. UBC took advantage of an error on a would-be inning ending double play ball to put runners at the corners with one out in the eighth, tying the game with an Anthony Cusati RBI ground out and a Vinny Martin RBI single.
The Yotes stranded the go-ahead run in scoring position in the ninth, tenth, and 11th innings – only to see the T-Birds win the game in their 11th. John Whaley doubled with two outs, with Enns following with the seeing-eye single to score the winning run.
Tyler Gillies got the win in relief for the T-Birds, striking out two in two-plus innings, with Enns going 3-for-4 in the win.
Hunter Hanson was 3-for-5 for C of I, including a pair of doubles – with Draper striking out eight men in seven and two-thirds innings of work.
In other games – Corban defeated Marymount, 9-0; while Lewis-Clark State topped Corban, 7-0.
Saturday's schedule – C of I vs. Marymount (loser out), 10 a.m. (PT); British Columbia vs. Lewis-Clark State, 1 p.m. (PT); C of I-Marymount winner vs. Corban (loser out), 4 p.m. (PT)
