CALDWELL, Idaho – An offensive explosion with a six run sixth inning in game one and an eight-run fourth inning in the nightcap provided ample support to some exemplary pitching by College of Idaho in a doubleheader sweep of Whitman at Wolfe Field on Saturday.
The Yotes took game one by a 13-1 margin for its biggest victory since a 14-1 win over Oregon Tech in McMinnville, Oregon on February 12, 2017. The nightcap saw C of I come away with a 13-4 erase an early 4-0 deficit in the second game with an eight-run fourth inning – the most by a Yote squad in an inning since an eight-run output against Eastern Oregon on April 10, 2021. The back to back games with at least 10 runs stretches the streak of double digit runs to five games for the first time since Apr. 14-19, 1998.
The doubleheader saw C of I record 13 hits – four off the bat of
Jonah Hultberg to match a career-high for the leadoff batter. Plus, he matched a season-high with four runs scored and extended his hitting streak to 10 with his efforts in the twinbill.
Hultberg and his teammates broke open a scoreless game in the third inning with a pair of runs on a two-RBI double by
Tristen Garland. C of I added to its lead with a single run in the fifth before breaking the game open with a seven run sixth inning to put the Yotes ahead 10-0. In the seven run sixth inning, the offense took advantage of four hits and capitalized on a pair of errors by the visitors. In the inning, a pair of two-RBI doubles by
Ben Dudley and
Skyler Sadora provided the offensive fireworks.
All this offense put a level of comfort for C of I starter
Connor Root, who raised his record to 2-0 on the day. Root allowed just one hit – a Ben Parker double in the third inning – in seven innings of work where he induced eight ground outs and struck out two in the win in 84 pitches.
The nightcap saw C of I play from behind as the Blues score twice in the first and third inning for an early 4-0 lead.
Reliever Dimmick Wood, who entered the game in the second inning, overcame a two-run third running and managed to shut down the Blues attack. Wood allowed just two hits over his final seven innings of work after giving up a pair of unearned runs in the third. He struck out six as he raised his record to 2-1 on the season.
With Wood silencing the bats of Whitman, the fourth inning saw C of I score eight runs as 13 batters came to the plate. A pair of two-RBI hits by Sadora and
Ryan Blokker helped lead the Yotes offense. C of I added two more runs in the seventh on an RBI double by Hultberg and capitalized on a Whitman error.
The series will resume on Sunday with another twinbill at Wolfe Field with first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m.
