CALDWELL, Idaho – The College of Idaho offense erupted for 20 runs and 25 hits on the afternoon, and coupled with quality pitching, helped the Coyotes sweep a doubleheader from Providence Christian at Wolfe Field.
The Yotes (3-5) ended a 5-game losing streak with 8-2 and 12-3 victories – as
Alec Hopkins,
Chase Labbe and
Jon Gonzalez each recorded four hits and combined for 11 RBI – with six pitchers combining to strike out 15 PCC batters.
GAME 1: C of I used a 7-run fourth inning explosion to break a scoreless tie and roll to the win. The Yotes sent 11 men to the plate in the rally – with
Matthew Clay and Labbe roping run scoring singles, with
Payton Lewis and Hopkins both ripping 2-run triples.
It was more than enough for freshman
Connor Root and senior
Niall Manning – as the duo limited the Sea Beggars (2-7) to just one earned run. Root earned the win, allowing an unearned run on two hits, striking out four, while Manning logged the four inning save, walking just one and striking out seven. Manning struck out four batters in the sixth inning alone, stranding runners at second and third with no outs.
Austin Van Horne and Labbe each had two hits for the Yotes, with Matthew Simpson going 2-for-3 with an RBI for PCC.
GAME 2 – The Coyote bats came alive – rapping 15 hits and taking advantage of 10 walks – rallying from an early deficit for the lopsided win.
PCC pieced together a two-out rally in the first, with Aaron Gooch cueing a bloop RBI single down the right field line to plate two runs and give the visitors the 2-0 lead.
An inning later, Gonzalez ripped a two-run single up the middle to tie the score and in the fourth, broke the tie with an RBI knock to left. Hopkins continued the rally with an RBI single, with Labbe and Van Horne adding RBI doubles – as the C of I lead grew to 7-2.
Clay made it 8-3 in the sixth with bloop RBI single and an inning later, Labbe tripled home a run and
Dylan Mansanarez launched an RBI double off the left field wall to cap the scoring.
Gonzalez was 3-for-5 with four RBI and Hopkins added a 3-hit game for the Yotes. All four pitchers were locked in – limiting PCC to just six hits.
Tyler Hilton allowed two runs in three innings of work, fanning three; Van Horne allowed a run on three hits with three strikeouts to earn the win; while
Jared Bowman and
Nathan Pena combined for three shutout innings with both recording a strikeout.
C of I returns to action next weekend, hosting Whitworth in a 4-game weekend series.
