CALDWELL, Idaho –
Connor Root worked into the eighth inning, striking out a career-high seven batters, helping the College of Idaho end a 4-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over Park University Gilbert in the series opener at Wolfe Field.
Root recorded his third-straight quality start – allowing only an eighth inning 2-run double by Hugo Acosta that broke up a shutout bid.
Matthew Clay recorded his first 3-hit game of the season, as the Coyotes (7-19) pounded out an 11-hit attack.
The Coyotes struck first in the fifth inning, as
Jake Denison legged out an infield single and took second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a ground ball out. With two outs,
Ryan Nolan hit a bounding ball up the middle – beating out the throw to first to allow Denison to score.
C of I broke the game open in the sixth, as a pinch hit single by
Caden Leiblein was followed by a Clay base knock.
Carter Vieira extended the lead to 2-0 with a bloop RBI single – with both Clay and Vieira scoring on a wild pitch.
Ben Dudley capped the inning with a sacrifice fly.
It was Root needed – allowing just one runner to reach third base through the first seven innings, while
Ben Tighe worked the final four outs for a save.
Denison and
Jonah Hultberg each had two hits in the win, with Nate Young and Alex Moreno each recording multi-hit games for the Buccaneers (10-17).
Tomorrow, the two teams meet in a doubleheader, with first pitch at 11 a.m.
