PHOENIX, Ariz. – Arizona Christian scored a pair of runs in their final at bat, with Michael Mara's walk-off RBI single giving the Firestorm a 5-4 victory over the College of Idaho in the final game of the 4-Him Classic at Firestorm Field.
The Yotes (1-3) erased an early 2-0 deficit with a huge third inning two-out rally, but could not close out the victory – their third loss of the trip by two runs or less.
After spotting ACU (5-2) the early lead, C of I strung together five-straight two out hits – including an RBI single from
Tate Spivey, a game-tying RBI double from
Austin Van Horne, a go-ahead RBI single from
Dominic Conigliaro and a
Chase Labbe run scoring single to make it 4-2.
Starter
Niall Manning went four-plus innings and left with a 4-3 lead, with Conigliaro tossing an inning and two-thirds of shutout relief. In the seventh (of a seven inning game), the Firestorm took advantage of walk and a hit-and-run single to put runners at the corners. After a pop out, John Nunnally tied the game with an infield single, with Mara ending the game with a single to left.
Van Horne and
Nate Hundley each went 2-for-3 in the loss for the Yotes, who outhit ACU 10-9.
C of I returns home next weekend to open the new-look Wolfe Field with a five-game series against Benedictine Mesa. Thursday's opener is set for 2 p.m.
