CALDWELL, Idaho –
Matthew Clay scored the winning run on a throwing error in the bottom of the ninth inning, helping the College of Idaho salvage a doubleheader split with Whitworth University at frigid Wolfe Field.
The Pirates (1-1) opened their season with an 11-0 win in Game 1 behind a dominant pitching performance from Matthew Young, before the Yotes rallied from 5-0 and 6-2 deficits to win the nightcap, 7-6.
GAME 1 – Young and Timothy Bever combined on a 5-hit shutout, as the Bucs used a 16-hit attack in the victory. Young took a perfect game into the sixth inning – retiring the first 16 men to open the day – before
Jake Bowman broke up the no-hit bid with an infield single. The righty went seven strong innings, allowing just three hits, no walks and struck out six in the victory.
Whitworth benefitted from a season high six errors by the Yotes (4-6) – plating an unearned run in the first on a wild pitch, tacking on two unearned runs in both the second and fifth innings to grab a 5-0 lead. The Pirates broke the game open in the sixth, scoring four runs – including RBI singles from Tyler Bailey and Lukas Seeley.
C of I starter
Hunter Boyd, allowed seven hits and fanned four – but did not allow an earned run in his five innings. Bowman went 2-for-3 – the lone Coyote with a multi-hit game.
Nicholas Nerud was 4-for-5 with three RBI and Bailey went 3-for-6 with two RBI for the Bucs – who despite the win, stranded 16 runners.
GAME 2: The Yotes rallied late in the contest - picking up their first win of the season when trailing after six innings.
WU built a 5-0 lead after five innings, scoring twice in the fourth and getting a big Liam Fitzpatrick two-run double in the fifth to cap a three-run inning.
C of I chipped away at the deficit, as
Nick Mooney singled home a run in the fifth and an
Alec Hopkins RBI ground out in the sixth pulled the hosts within 5-2.
Trailing 6-2 in the seventh, the Yotes loaded the bases with no outs – with Clay walking with the bases loaded to force in a run.
Dylan Mansanarez followed, clearing the bags with a double deep in the left-center power alley to tie the score.
After WU left runners on in both the eighth and ninth innings, C of I won it in walk-off fashion. Clay walked with one out, stole second and advanced to third on a Mansanarez infield single – before a wild throw by second baseman Casey Isa allowed the junior transfer to trot home with the winning run.
Austin Van Horne pitched two shutout innings to earn the win in relief – while adding a hit in each game to extend his hit streak to 15. Bowman went 3-for-4 and Mansanarez went 2-for-4 in the victory.
Fitzpatrick was 3-for-4 in the loss for the Pirates, with starter Austin Rice allowing just one earned run on six hits in a no-decision.
The two teams are expected to play a doubleheader tomorrow, weather permitting, at 11 a.m.
