KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. –
Johnny Hyland went 5-for-9 with a pair of doubles, but it wasn't enough for the College of Idaho, as Oregon Tech swept a NAIA West doubleheader at Kiger Stadium.
The Owls (19-23, 8-13 NAIA West) held off a C of I rally for a 10-7 win in the opener, using an 18-hit attack in the late game for an 8-2 win.
C of I (10-28, 3-19) scored in the first inning of both games – but could not hold the lead – as Tech scored four runs in the opening inning of Game 1 and added five runs in the first frame of Game 2.
In the opener, a
Dylan Mansanarez sacrifice fly staked the Yotes to a 1-0 lead – but Tech strung together four hits and took advantage of a balk and a C of I error to take a 4-1 lead. The Coyotes would pull even in the third, as
Austin Van Horne smashed a two-run homer and
Ryan Murkle capped the frame with an RBI single.
Tech scored three in the fifth and added a long Josh Kallstrom homer in the seventh to build an 8-4 lead – but C of I answered, scoring three times in the eighth, but could not get closer.
Hyland, Murkle,
Chase Labbe and
Nate Hundley all had two hits in the loss, with Kallstrom going 3-for-4 with three RBI in the win for OIT.
Game 2 was dominated by Tech starter Chase Wago, who tossed a complete game five-hitter to pick up his seventh win of 2018.
The Yotes manufactured a first inning run, only to see OIT respond quickly – taking the lead for good on an Alex Poltz first inning grand slam.
Six different OIT batters had multi-hit games in the victory – with Hyland providing the bright spot for C of I, going 3-for-5, including an eighth inning RBI double that cut the Owls lead to 6-2.
The two teams close out the season series tomorrow with an 11 a.m. doubleheader.
