CHANDLER, Ariz. – Traveling to the desert to open the 2020 season, the College of Idaho dropped a pair of games to Taylor University at Snedigar Park.
The Trojans (2-0), from Indiana, rallied from one-run deficits in both games to earn 7-3 and 6-4 victories. The TU pitching staff combined limit the Yotes to just eight hits on the day, while taking advantage of 11 C of I walks.
C of I (0-2) opened the scoring in Game 1, as
Jonah Hultberg tripled in his first collegiate at bat, scoring on a
Matthew Clay ground, staking the Yotes to a 1-0 first inning lead.
TU took the lead in the second on RBI singles from Ben Kalbaugh and Brett Lawson, adding three runs in the fourth – including an RBI double from Jacob Morris.
The Yotes cut the lead to 5-3 in the fifth– as
Ryan Nolan tripled and scored on a wild pitch, while Clay singled home
Carter Vieira – who reached on a walk. However, Brian Fields clubbed a 2-run homer in the bottom of the frame to cap the scoring.
Clay went 2-for-3 in the loss for C of I, as
Connor Root pitched four innings, allowing five runs on nine hits.
TU pitcher Noah Huseman handcuffed the Yotes in Game 2 – pitching four no-hit innings – as the Trojans built a 2-0 lead on a Nick Rusche two-run second inning double.
The Coyotes cut the lead to 2-1 in the fifth without a hit – taking advantage of an error, walk and hit by pitch – scoring a run on an
Alec Hopkins sacrifice fly. An inning later,
Weston Miller gave C of I a 3-2 lead with a 2-out, 2-run single.
The Trojans answered in their half of the sixth –stringing together four hits – the last, the gapper from Dutkowski to give TU the lead.
C of I starter
Andrew Vaughn took a no-decision, allowing two hits in two-plus innings, walking six and striking out five. Reliever
Nick Kindred worked out of a third inning bases loaded jam, but took the loss – striking out three in his three and two-thirds innings.
No player for either team had more than one hit – with Hopkins, Miller and
Austin Van Horne recording hits for the Coyotes.
The two teams close out the series tomorrow with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
