CALDWELL, Idaho – The College of Idaho scored first in both ends of today's doubleheader with Central Washington, but it was the Wildcats who found the offense when needed, earning 5-1 and 9-1 victories over the Yotes on Opening Day at Wolfe Field.
Dustin Brown had a pair of doubles and two RBI in the opener for CWU (5-5), while the Wildcats rallied for nine ninth inning runs in Game 2 to steal a win.
The Yotes (5-5) scored in the first inning of Game 1, as
Austin Van Horne doubled to right-center and scored an out later on a
Cole Mansanarez screamer off the glove of Wildcat shortstop Ty Deckwa. The lead, however, didn't last long – as CWU scored single runs in the second, third and sixth innings, getting an RBI single by Dustin Braun, a James Smith RBI single and Rory Graf-Brennen RBI double to lead 3-1. The Wildcats would get an RBI double from Braun and a second run off an error in the eight to put the game away.
Starter Jake Levin handcuffed the Yotes, limiting C of I to just five hits in six-plus innings of work. Braun was 3-for-4, with three other Wildcats recording two hits. Mansanarez was 3-for-4 in the loss for the Yotes, with starter
Zach Draper fanning seven in six innings of work.
Game 2 was dominated by the two starting pitchers – as the Yotes
Anthony Martine tossed seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and fanning six, while Mackenzie Gaul of CWU worked five-plus innings, allowing four hits and adding eight strikeouts.
C of I got to Gaul in the fifth, as
Johnny Hyland reached on an infield single and moved to second on a throwing error. After a walk to
Ryan Murkle,
Dalton Ridgway doubled home Hyland for a 1-0 lead, but a pair of strikeouts and a fly out ended the threat.
The Yotes would take the one-run lead to the ninth, but the first eight CWU batters would reach in the inning. A Braun two-run single gave the Wildcats the lead and Kyle Stahl added another two-run knock to break the game open.
Braun was 3-for-4 with three RBI in the win for the Wildcats, with Kyle Blankenship retiring all five men in relief for his first win. The Yotes were limited to just five hits – with no player recording a multi-hit game.
C of I returns to action tomorrow, hosting No. 1 ranked Lewis-Clark State in a doubleheader at 11 a.m.
