VANCOUVER, B.C. - Pitching dominated the day at Thunderbird Park, as British Columbia claimed the first two games of a five-game series with the College of Idaho.
The T-Birds (16-17, 10-7 NAIA West) won the make-up game from Feb. 24 (snowed out in Caldwell), 3-1, before rallying for two runs in the ninth to claim Game 2, 4-3.
Niall Windeler handcuffed the Coyotes (10-23, 3-14) through the first seven innings of Game 1 - getting an early lead on a first inning Braeden Allemann RBI double and adding single runs in the fifth and seventh innings.
C of I broke through in the eighth, as
Kole Lane lined a solo homer to left and both
Dylan Mansanarez and
Jake Bowman followed with singles. However, Windeler picked off a runner at second, added a strikeout and a pop up to get out of the jam.
Windeler earned the win with eight innings of seven-hit ball, striking out six.
Hunter Boyd took the loss for the Yotes, allowing just one earned run in seven-plus innings, striking out six - with
Chase Labbe and Bowman each recording two hits.
Under the lights, the Yotes jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings - as Lane doubled in a run in the first, adding two in the second, one on a throwing error and another on a
Johnny Hyland RBI single.
C of I starter
Niall Manning left with a 3-2 lead, working around five hits and four walks in his seven innings of work - but the bullpen could not hold the lead. A leadoff walk to Kyle Macomb in the ninth was followed by a Coyote throwing error on a sacrifice bunt that allowed Macomb to score from first to tie the game. Following a sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk, Allemann beat out a throw to first on a potential double play ball - allowing the winning run to score from third.
Lane had two hits in the loss for the Yotes, with Austen Butler recording two hits for UBC.
The two teams meet again in a doubleheader tomorrow, beginning at 1 p.m. (PDT)
