OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The College of Idaho used a three-run ninth inning to stave off elimination in a morning match-up, but could not overcome seven two-out runs in tonight's matinee, as the Coyotes bowed out of the Oklahoma City Bracket of the NAIA Baseball National Championship at Jim Wade Stadium.
The Coyotes (25-30) scored one in the eighth and three in the ninth to topple Mayville State (N.D.), 4-2 – their first victory in 23 games this season when trailing after seven innings. However, Friends (Kan.) got timely hits and stranded 12 C of I runners in a 9-6 victory.
The loss ended the collegiate careers of 13 C of I senior student-athletes, with the Yotes finishing fourth in their Opening Round bracket for the second-straight season.
Against No. 22 ranked MSU (48-12), the Coyotes fell behind 1-0 in the fifth inning, as the Comets manufactured a run on a Blake Yoshioka ground out.
C of I would draw even in the eighth, as
Dalton Ridgway walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a two-out
Dominic Conigliaro single.
The Yotes took their first lead of the tournament in the ninth – as
Hunter Hanson tripled home pinch runner Nate Hundley;
Devon Pogue blooped an RBI single; and
Johnny Hyland gapped an RBI double. C of I would need the insurance runs, as MSU scored an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth on a Coyote error, but
Miles Bigelow coaxed a fly ball out to end the contest.
Riley O'Brien was dominant on the mound, going eight strong innings, allowing just seven hits and striking out seven, with Bigelow picking up his fourth save. Ridgway was 3-for-5 to lead the Coyote hitters.
Under the lights against Friends (33-21), the Yotes played catch-up throughout the evening.
The Kansas squad plated a run in the first on an Elijah Christenson sacrifice fly and added a pair on a two-out second inning Augie Isaacson double.
Hanson cut the deficit to 3-2 in the fourth with a long two-run home run, but the Falcons answered in the fifth – again with two outs – plating a run on a Jacob Trimble single and another on a Coyote error.
C of I fought back again, as in the sixth,
Johnny Hyland singled home a run to get within 5-3. Friends responded in the seventh, as Trimble lined an RBI double with two outs, followed by a towering two-run homer by John Gardner to break the game open.
Ryan Kokora worked around 12 hits to earn the win for the Falcons, striking out eight – with Trimble going 4-for-5 with two RBI.
Hanson went 4-for-5 with three RBI in the loss for the Yotes, with
Sam Grise adding three hits.
