CALDWELL, Idaho –
Chase Labbe lined a go-ahead two-run eighth inning single to break a 2-2 tie, as the College of Idaho salvaged the final game of a four-game weekend series with Oregon Tech at Wolfe Field.
The Owls (12-15, 4-4 NAIA West) rallied from a four-run deficit in the opener for a 7-4 win, while the Yotes scored six runs in the eighth inning to earn an 8-4 win in the late game.
Locked in a late inning pitchers dual, the Yotes (9-14, 2-5) batted around in the decisive inning – as
Johnny Hyland singled and
Austin Van Horne walked, with the duo advancing on a wild pitch. Labbe followed, lining a base hit into centerfield to plate the pair.
Tate Spivey doubled to put two men on, with
Kole Lane lining a base hit through the drawn in infield to score two, extending the lead to 6-2.
Jake Bowman added an RBI single and
Carter Vieira hit a sacrifice fly to cap the rally.
Maverick Williams got his first collegiate win, allowing an earned run over two innings of work in relief of starter
K.J. Strickland, who tossed a season-high six and a third innings of six-hit ball. Labbe, Lane and Bowman each had two hits in the win.
Kai Fong was 4-for-4 in the loss for OIT – who squandered a 2-1 lead in the fifth – with Alex Poltz adding a two-run double in the ninth.
C of I jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the early game – as Van Horne hit a sacrifice fly in the third, with Spivey driving in two with a double and Vieira lining a run-scoring single in a three-run fourth.
However, Tech whittled away at the lead – scoring single runs in the sixth and seventh – and loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth. After a Ryan Riepma sacrifice fly got OIT within 4-3, Justin Jordan tripled off the left field wall to score two, giving the visitors a lead they would not relinquish.
Logan Nausen earned the win with two shutout innings of relief, with Austin Zavala going 4-for-5 and Jordan adding going 3-for-4 with two RBI.
Spivey and Vieira each had three hit games for the Yotes, with
Dominic Conigliaro grinding through eight innings in a losing effort.
The Yotes hit the road next weekend, traveling to Lewiston for a four-game series at Lewis-Clark State.
