MESA, Ariz. – Three College of Idaho players recorded multi-hit games, but the Coyotes squandered early opportunities and a pair of early leads, as Benedictine Mesa claimed the series finale, 14-4, at Wildwood High School.
The Yotes (1-3) built leads of 1-0 and 3-1 in the early innings – but C of I stranded six men in scoring position over the first five innings – with the Redhawks breaking the game open against the visitors bullpen.
The first four men of the game reached for C of I – as
Carter Vieira singled,
Matthew Clay walked,
Austin Van Horne was hit by a pitch and
Chase Labbe walked to force in a run. However, three straight outs ended the Coyote threat.
Ben-U (5-1) tied the score on an RBI ground out in their half of the first, only to see the Yotes regain the lead in the third. Singles from Van Horne, Labbe and
Dylan Mansanarez loaded the bases with no outs – with RBI ground outs from
Jon Gonzalez and
Drew Ochsner giving the Coyotes a 3-1 lead.
The Redhawks took advantage of two C of I errors in the third to tie the score and took the lead in the fourth on a double steal.
Alec Hopkins tied the score in the fifth with a two-out RBI single – but the Coyotes had the go-ahead run thrown out at home plate to end the inning.
Ben-U scored three in the fifth to take the lead and added two in the sixth and ended the game due to the 10-run rule with a 5-run seventh inning. The Redhawks took advantage of six walks, three wild pitches and four C of I errors in the win.
Vieira, Mansanarez and Hopkins each had two hits for the Yotes, while Drew Lawrence went 2-for-4 with five RBI for Ben-U.
C of I opens the home schedule on Thursday afternoon, hosting Providence Christian at 2 p.m. - the start of a 24-game homestand over the next six weeks.
