CALDWELL, Idaho –
Jonah Hultberg went 6-for-9 and
Anthony Pannullo drove in six runs, as The College of Idaho spoiled the return of Eastern Oregon's baseball program after a 15-year hiatus, sweeping a snowy doubleheader at Wolfe Field.
The Coyotes (5-4) used a season-high 17-hit attack to win Game 1, 13-9, while five pitchers combined on a 5-hitter in a 5-1 victory in Game 2. The two wins extended C of I's win streak to four games – their longest win streak since the 2016 season.
C of I used a 6-run first inning in the opener to erase an early EOU (0-2) lead and broke the game wide open in the late innings. The first seven batters reached for the Yotes – including a 2-run singles by
Weston Miller and Pannullo.
Eastern cut the margin to 6-5 in the fourth – taking advantage of a pair of 2-out C of I errors, but the Yotes got a run back in the bottom of the inning and added an RBI double from
Ryan Nolan and Hultberg RBI single to build the lead to 9-5.
The margin would grow to 12-5 in the sixth following a Pannullo 2-run double and tacking on an unearned run in the seventh. The Mounties would make it interesting in the ninth, as a Carsten Manderbach RBI single got EOU within 13-9 – but
Dimick Wood was summoned from the pen, striking out Eastern Watterson on three pitches to earn the save.
Alec Hopkins went 4-for-5 with a double and triple in the win for the Yotes, with Pannullo going 3-for-5 with five RBI and Hultberg going 3-for-4.
Hunter Kirkpatrick earned the win in relief, tossing three innings of 3-hit shutout ball.
Manderbach went 4-for-6 in the loss for EOU.
The Yotes had their opportunities in Game 2 – as Mountaineers pitchers combined for 12 walks – but C of I stranded a season-high 14 men in the contest.
C of I manufactured a fourth inning run, taking advantage of two walks and a sacrifice bunt to set up a Nolan RBI groundout for a 1-0 lead.
EOU would draw even in the sixth, plating an unearned run on a Tristan Fergus sacrifice fly. However, the Yotes countered in the bottom of the inning, as Hultberg delivered a 2-out, RBI single, to give C of I a 2-1 lead.
Two innings later, C of I got three 2-out insurance runs, as
Jake Denison plated a pair with a hit-and-run single, with Pannullo delivering Denison with a long RBI double.
Luke Brewer earned his first collegiate win, allowing an unearned run in one inning of work, with
Erik Wisenor retiring the final six batters in order for his first save. Hultberg went 3-for-5 for C of I, with Brooks Dyer and Watterson recording two hits for EOU.
The two teams will meet again next Tuesday to close out the 4-game non-conference series.
NOTES:
- Wood and Austin Van Horne combined for five shutout innings in Game 2 – Wood striking out three men in two innings, with Van Horne fanning four batters in three innings of work.
- Colby Durski tossed a scoreless inning in both games, allowing one hit and striking out one
- It was the first game played by EOU since May 6, 2006 at Corban – with C of I improving to 167-48-1 all-time against the Mountaineers
- C of I head coach Shawn Humberger won his 590th career game with the Game 2 win
