CALDWELL, Idaho –
Austin Van Horne tossed six shutout innings, striking out a career-high 11 batters, helping the College of Idaho to a doubleheader split with Simpson University at Wolfe Field.
The senior allowed just three hits, logging the most strikeouts by a C of I pitcher since 2017 in a 10-4 Game 1 win, before SU scored five unearned runs in the nightcap to claim a 6-1 victory.
The Yotes (4-13) gave Van Horne plenty of run support, scoring runs in five of the first six innings – using eight stolen bases and four SU errors to their advantage.
C of I opened the scoring with a pair of first inning runs – as a
Ryan Nolan infield single plated a run and a second scoring on a
Jake Denison ground out.
Weston Miller made it 3-0 with a third inning sacrifice fly, before
Matthew Clay and Van Horne ripped back-to-back fourth inning doubles and
Carter Vieira added a squeeze bunt to push the lead to 5-0. The Coyotes added three runs in the fifth – including a Clay 2-run single – to break the game wide open.
Nolan had three hits, with Van Horne, Clay and
Ben Hansen each recording two hits. Andre Alvarez went 4-for-4 for the Redhawks (6-10), who scored four runs against the C of I bullpen – but stranded 10 runners in the contest.
Game 2 was tight through the first six innings – as the Coyotes took a 1-0 lead in the third on a
Jonah Hultberg sacrifice fly, with SU taking advantage of a C of I error to tie the game on a fifth inning Damien Chavez sacrifice fly. In the seventh, Chavez struck again, gapping a 2-out, RBI double to give the visitors a lead. A Coyote error opened the floodgates – as Jordan Taylor added an RBI single and Logan Gomes followed with a sun-aided 2-run double to make it 6-1.
The loss spoiled a solid start from
Jared Bowman, who allowed an unearned run on four hits, striking out three, in four-plus innings of work.
Anthony Pannullo had a pair of infield singles to lead the C of I offense.
The Coyotes hit the road for the next two weekends, beginning next Saturday at Corban.
