NAMPA, Idaho – The College of Idaho baseball team dropped a pair of games to host Northwest Nazarene University, losing 7-1 and 14-11 on Saturday.
The Yotes (9-7) found themselves in a pitching duel through the first six innings as they trailed 2-0 before the host Nighthawks came back with a five-run eighth en route to a 7-1 win.
Kris Kirkpatrick had two of the six hits for C of I, plus starting pitcher
Ben Gaff went 7.1 innings, allowing six hits and four runs (three earned) as he falls to 1-1.
For the Nighthawks (6-6) had a pair of players – Parker Price and Duke Pahukoa – each had two hits as NNU came away with 10 hits in the win. Starting pitcher Haden Keller allowed just three hits to C of I and struck out 12 for the win.
With a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh, NNU managed to send eight batters to the plate and recorded five hits including three straight that scored runners for the lead en route to the win.
The nightcap saw the two teams combine for 25 runs and 24 hits as NNU overcame a 7-2 deficit as they plated nine runs in the bottom of the seventh for a come-from-behind victory.
Jonah Hultberg,
Alex McFarland-Smith and Kris Kirpatrick had two hits and multiple RBI in the win. Hultberg, Kirkpatrick and McFarland-Smith each scored twice in the loss for C of I.
For NNU, Grant Kerry had four hits, Parker Price and Duke Pahukoa had three and two hits, respectively in the win. Price also had four RBI and three runs scored in the win.
Next up for C of I is the start of CCC play as they travel to Keizer, Oregon to face Corban, Feb. 26 and Feb. 27 at 11 a.m. in a pair of doubleheaders.
