CALDWELL, Idaho – A ninth inning College of Idaho rally came up two runs short, as Lewis-Clark State held off the Coyotes, 7-5, in the final game of a four-game series at Wolfe Field.
The Yotes (14-15, 7-5 NAIA West) scored a pair of runs in their final at bat, loading the bases with just one out, but L-C closer Henry McAree entered an struck out back-to-back C of I batters to earn his third save.
C of I led 5-3 heading into the ninth, with the Warriors (13-8, 6-3) getting a walk to Seaver Whalen and a J.J. Robinson double during a deluge – which prompted the umpire crew to delay play for 11 minutes. When action resumed, Micah Brown was intentionally walked and Evan Douglas was plunked by a pitch to extend the lead and Gunnar Buhner delivered a sacrifice fly to give the visitors a four-run lead.
The Warriors needed the insurance, as with one out in the ninth,
Ryan Murkle singled,
Sam Grise reached on an error and
Johnny Hyland lined a single to right to load the bases.
Bobby Wright followed with an RBI single to make it 7-4 to chase reliever Steve Pastora.
Cole Mansanarez greeted McAree with an RBI single to cut the gap to 7-5 – but the righty fanned
Dominic Conigliaro and pinch hitter
Devon Pogue to slam the door.
The Yotes loaded the bags in the first on singles by Hyland, Wright and Mansanarez – scoring runs on an
Austin Van Horne sacrifice fly and another on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead. LCSC chipped away at the margin – Logan Griffin launching a solo homer in the third and adding a fifth inning RBI single to tie the game. Robinson followed with a go-ahead RBI single and Douglas delivered a run with a fielders' choice to extend the Warriors lead to 4-2.
C of I cut the deficit to 4-3 in the sixth on a Van Horne, but LCSC got the run back in the seventh on a Buhner run-scoring single.
L-C starter Matt Fish got the win, allowing two runs and fanning four – at one point retiring 15 of 16 batters. Griffin, Robinson and Buhner each had three of the Warriors 13 hits.
Hyland and Mansanarez each posted 3-for-5 games for the Coyotes, with Wright and Conigliaro each adding two hits.
The Yotes hit the road next weekend for a four-game series at British Columbia.
