CALDWELL, Idaho –
Dominic Conigliaro roped a walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the tenth inning of Game 1 to help the College of Idaho split a pair of 3-2 decisions with Saint Martin's at Wolfe Field.
The Yotes (7-9) squandered an outstanding start from
Zach Draper in the opener but salvaged the win in extras, while stranding the tying run in scoring position in their final at bat of the night cap, as SMU earned the victory to even the 5-game series at two games apiece.
Draper was dominant in Game 1, tossing eight shutout innings, working around five hits, one walk and seven strikeouts and left with a 2-0 lead. C of I had been no-hit through five innings, but broke through in the sixth as
Johnny Hyland singled, moved to third on a
Devon Pogue double and scored on a Conigliaro sacrifice fly.
The Yotes added an unearned run in the eighth on a
Cole Mansanarez RBI single – but the Saints (2-5) got to reliever
Riley O'Brien in the ninth – scoring two unearned runs – one on a throwing error and another on a safety squeeze.
An inning later, C of I got the winning knock as Hyland walked and scored when Conigliaro gapped a ball to the wall in right-center – just off the tip of the ranging Austin Feist's glove – to plate the winning run.
Six Coyotes had one hit in the win, while Adam Eskil and Alec Hagerman each had two hits for SMU. Saints starter Ryan Dorney was solid, allowing just two hits in six innings in a no-decision.
Game 2 was a slugfest early on, as all of the runs were scored in the first two innings. An Eskil sacrifice fly and a Trevor Young RBI single staked SMU to a 2-0 lead, but the Yotes got an RBI single from Mansanarez in the bottom of the inning to cut the margin in half.
The Saints manufactured a run in the second, as Shaan Kothari was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on scored on a Jake Leonard single. C of I cut the margin to 3-2 in the bottom of the frame on an
Austin Van Horne RBI fielders' choice, but left the bases loaded.
While C of I starter
Miles Bigelow got into a groove, the Coyotes squandered chances – hitting into a double play in the fourth, leaving the tying run stranded at third in the fifth, and after consecutive two out singles in the bottom of the seventh, Mansanarez fanned to end the game.
Bigelow took the loss, despite allowing just three runs and striking out five. Hyland and
Hunter Hanson each had two hits for C of I. Tanner Inouye logged his first win for SMU, allowing five hits in five innings, with Eskil working around two hits and striking out two for his first save.
The rubber game of the 5-game set is set for tomorrow at 11 a.m.
