CALDWELL, Idaho –
Ryan Nolan delivered a bases loaded high chopper over the mound to plate
Avery Rambur from third base with the game-winning run, as the College of Idaho rallied for a 2-1 victory over Park University Gilbert in the series finale at Wolfe Field.
On a day dominated by pitching, the Yotes (9-20) scratched across a game-tying run in the ninth to force extra innings and manufactured the winning run to help the squad win back-to-back games for the first time in 2020.
Trailing 1-0 in the ninth, Nolan led off with a single and moved to third on a
Matthew Clay base hit.
Anthony Pannullo tied the score with an RBI fielders' choice to score Nolan. C of I nearly won it later in the inning, but pinch runner
Caden Jensen was thrown out at home by Hugo Acosta trying to score on a
Carter Vieira single.
An inning later, pinch hitter
Caden Leiblein led off with a walk and Rambur, the pinch runner, was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.
Weston Miller singled to put runners at the corners – and following an intentional walk to
Jonah Hultberg, Nolan chopped a 0-1 pitch in front of the second base bag – with Rambur scoring ahead of the throw home to set off a celebration.
Ben Tighe worked a scoreless tenth inning to earn his first win of the season for the Coyotes.
The game featured a pitchers' duel between C of I's
Austin Van Horne and the Buccaneers (11-19) Aaron deGroot. Van Horne struck out five in eight innings of dominant relief – not allowing his first hit until the ninth inning, when back-to-back doubles from Alex Moreno and Cooper Williams gave the visitors their lone run. De Groot was equally impressive, allowing four hits and striking out nine in seven shutout innings.
Clay was the lone player on either team to record a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4.
C of I closes out their home stand next week, hosting Oregon Tech in a 4-game weekend series.
