LIVE STATS / LIVE VIDEO: Live Stats and Live Video (pay-per-view) will be available for all four games of the Simpson series through C of I's
Stretch Internet Portal – with Mike Safford and
Sven Alskog providing the play-by-play.
COMPLETE MEDIA GAME NOTES
HULTBERG RUNS HIT STREAK TO NINE: A week after earning NAIA West Player of the Week honors,
Jonah Hultberg continued his torrid start to the season – going a combined 10-of-18 in California, including four runs scored and two stolen bases – posting a .636 on-base percentage. The freshman extended his hitting streak to nine games – the longest by a Coyotes since March of 2019, with Hultberg now 18-for-34 during the last nine games. After starting the season 1-for-10, Hultberg has raised his batting average to a team-best .432.
NOLAN A KEY ADDITION UP THE MIDDLE: Junior transfer
Ryan Nolan has provided the Yotes a solid bat and a key glove in the infield in 2020 – and continued his outstanding start to the season in California. The first-year Coyote went 8-for-18 in San Diego, posting three multi-hit games and recording five RBI, going 3-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Nolan has reached base in all 11 games he's played this season, leading the team with six stolen bases, while recording just one error in 33 defensive chances between second base and shortstop.
MILLER HAVING A BREAKOUT YEAR: The Coyotes have received a huge boost in the middle of their order from junior
Weston Miller – who has already surpassed his season totals from both the 2018 and 2019 season in the first three weeks of 2020. Miller went 4-for-12 with five RBI in California, adding five walks and three hit by pitches, posting a .600 on-base percentage. For the season, the catcher is hitting .323 with three doubles and eight RBI.
HANSEN HAS SOLID TRIP: Freshman
Ben Hansen continued his quality start to his college career, going 4-for-13 with three runs scored, three walks and two RBI on the trip – posting a .471 on-base percentage – while fielding 13 defensive chances without an error. Hansen ranks second on the team, posting a .409 batting average on the season.
KINDRED PROVIDES KEY RELIEF: Transfer
Nick Kindred continued to provide key innings for the Yotes out of the bullpen – factoring in both of C of I's wins in California. The lefty slammed the door in Friday's win over Baker, earning the save after getting the final five outs, while pitching six innings of 2-run relief in the series finale – earning his first win of 2020. Kindred did not walk a batter during the trip and has only walked two batters in 15.1 innings pitched this year – and is tied for the staff lead with four appearances.
SOPHOMORE STRIKEOUTS: Second-year Coyote pitchers
Jared Bowman and
Silas Shumate pitched well in California, providing key innings in relief. Bowman made a pair of appearances, combining for 3.1 innings of work, allowing just one run on three hits – striking out seven – including a perfect inning, striking out three batters on nine total pitches. Shumate pitched 3.1 innings of hitless relief, allowing just one run and striking out a career-high four.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: The 11 runs scored by the Coyotes in Sunday's win marked the most runs by a C of I team since a 12-3 victory over Providence Christian on Feb. 1, 2019…C of I improved to 3-0 this season when leading after six innings…the Coyotes finished the California trip 11-of-51 with men in scoring position (.216), while C of I pitchers held opponents to a 6-for-43 clip with two outs – with opponents hitting a paltry .141 with two outs over the last nine games…early innings have not been kind to the Coyotes, as opponents have outscored C of I, 28-10, in the first and second innings combined.
OPPONENT PREVIEW – SIMPSON: Former NAIA West member, Simpson University, makes their first trip to the Treasure Valley since 2016, looking to snap a 5-game losing streak. The Redhawks (3-9) squared off with C of I every season from 2009-16, before the California Pacific Conference formed their own division outside of the NAIA West. SU has hit six home runs in their 12 games, but have mustered a .229 team batting average, while their opponents are averaging nine runs per game. Outfielders Nathan Minami (.423 0 HR 4 RBI) and Austen Salcedo (.265 0 HR 5 RBI), along with infielder Logan Gomes (.263 1 HR 6 RBI) are the top offensive options, with starters Damien Awai (1-0 4.15 ERA, 25 K in 17 IP) and Angel Ruiz (0-2 8.56 ERA, 10 K in 13 IP) and reliever Collin Bovee (1-0 3.68 ERA, 9 K in 7 IP) leading the pitching staff. C of I has won 27-of-30 meetings with the Redhawks, including 15 of the 17 meetings at Wolfe Field.
AROUND THE NAIA WEST: Three of the other four teams in the NAIA West were in action – while Lewis-Clark State had their 4-game series with Western Oregon cancelled due to rain. Oregon Tech was swept in a 4-game road series at William Jessup, as WJU outscored the Owls, 46-10. Corban split a road series at Menlo – hitting six home runs in the four games, while British Columbia took 2-of-3 games at Concordia – riding quality starting pitching in all three games. This week, OIT heads to California for six games – two a La Sierra and four at Marymount California; UBC heads to Arizona for a 4-game series at Benedictine Mesa; Lewis-Clark State plays a 3-game road series at Concordia-Portland; with Corban hosting Central Washington in a 3-game series.
RECORD BOOK: One Coyote player is currently in the Top-25 career record book – as
Austin Van Horne is currently No. 13 in games started (164), No. 14 in at bats (599), No. 22 in both triples (4) and walks (59), along with No. 25 in games played (165).
HISTORY: C of I has had a rich history of baseball, dating back to the era when C of I was an academy. In recorded history (since 1934), the Yotes have posted a 1,575-1,251-7 all-time record, including 34 trips to the postseason (including playoff appearances in 30 of the last 33 seasons. C of I won the 1948 and 1949 Northwest Conference titles, with the 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2010, 2012, 2016 and 2017 teams advancing out of conference/regional/grouping tournaments – making five trips to the NAIA World Series – winning the 1998 national title and placing second in 1999. The Yotes have had multiple players drafted and play in professional baseball – with Jason Simontacchi ('96) the last C of I player to see action in the major leagues, and both Riley O'Brien and Zach Draper (in 2017) the last players to be drafted in the MLB First-Year Players Draft – with O'Brien finishing 2019 at Class-AA Montgomery in the Rays organization and Draper at Class-A Great Lakes in the Indians farm system.
LOOKING AHEAD: The Coyotes hit the road for the next two weekends, opening the NAIA West schedule with a 4-game series at Corban, followed by a 4-game series at Lewis-Clark State. C of I returns home to host Park University Gilbert on March 6.
