CALDWELL, Idaho – British Columbia turned seven uncharacteristic College of Idaho errors into five unearned runs, the difference in a doubleheader sweep for the Thunderbirds at Wolfe Field.
UBC (30-14, 20-11 NAIA West) got a Vinny Martin two-run homer in the 11th inning and survived a C of I rally for a 5-3 Game 1 win, while scoring three unearned runs in the night cap to hold off the Yotes, 3-2.
The T-Birds struck with two outs in the opening inning of Game 1, as Mitch Robinson singled with two outs and scored on a bobble in the outfield by the Coyotes (21-27, 14-17) defense on a hit from Martin. C of I countered in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases on a walk and two hit by pitches, scoring a pair with two outs when shortstop Kyle McComb's throw to first on a
Dalton Ridgway bouncer pulled Martin off the bag – plating
Cole Mansanarez and
Austin Van Horne for a 2-1 lead.
UBC regained the lead in the fourth as Martin single and scored when Mackenzie Parlow circled the bases on a pair of wild throws by the C of I defense, giving the visitors a 3-2 lead. The margin would remain until the seventh, when with runners and second and third, T-Bird reliever Christian Botnick balked to force home the tying run.
Neither team had a runner in scoring position in the eighth, ninth or tenth innings, before Robinson roped a one-out double in the 11th, followed by Martin's long home run over the left field wall. C of I had a chance to tie in the bottom of the inning, getting singles from
Dominic Conigliaro and Ridgway, along with an infield single from
Hunter Hanson. However, Botnick induced
Sam Grise into a game ending double play to earn the win.
Zach Draper got a no-decision in his final home start for the Yotes, allowing just one earned run on six hits, fanning seven. Conigliaro and Grise had two hits for C of I, with Martin going 3-for-5 for UBC.
Game 2 was a pitchers' duel throughout – with all of the runs scored in the fifth inning. UBC loaded the bases with two outs on an error, a walk and a wild pitch on a dropped third strike – with John Whaley scampering home on a wild pitch to give the visitors the lead. Anthony Olson followed with a bloop single into left to plate two runners to make it 3-0.
C of I answered in the bottom of the frame, as
Jake Bowman ripped a two-run single into right-center – but could not get the clutch hit with men in scoring position – as the UBC bullpen stranded runners in the fifth, sixth and ninth innings.
Adam McKillican allowed just three hits in five innings to earn the win for the T-Birds, while Liam Stroud and Patrick Van den Brink struck out six in four combined no-hit innings of relief.
Riley O'Brien was the tough-luck loser, limiting UBC to just four hits and striking out seven in six strong innings.
Kaleb Price pitched three shutout innings for the Yotes, fanning a pair.
The two teams close out the regular-season tomorrow with an 11 a.m. single game.
