CALDWELL, Idaho - In a day filled with high drama and late-inning heartbreak, the College of Idaho Yotes battled fiercely against the Bushnell Beacons but came up short in both games of Saturday's doubleheader at Wolfe Field. A crushing ninth-inning rally handed Bushnell an 8-5 victory in game one, while a late home run in the nightcap sealed a 5-2 defeat for the Yotes. Despite flashes of brilliance, the Yotes couldn't stave off Bushnell's relentless offense. They'll look to bounce back as they continue the series tomorrow at 11 a.m.
Game One: Ninth-Inning Collapse Spoils Yotes' Comeback Effort
For eight innings, the Yotes matched Bushnell blow-for-blow. With an explosive fifth inning that saw RBI hits from Cannon Morgan, Darren Smith, and Caden Casagrande, the Yotes clawed their way to a 4-1 lead. Ben Gaff ignited the offense earlier with a solo shot in the first inning, but Bushnell's Cade Crist responded with a game-tying three-run homer in the sixth.
Heading into the final frame, the Yotes held a 5-4 edge after Cannon Morgan drove in Trevor Watkins in the eighth. But then came the dagger—Bushnell's Albert Jennings crushed a go-ahead two-run homer, followed by Cade Crist's second blast of the game, a towering two-run shot that silenced the home crowd. The Yotes couldn't mount a comeback in the bottom of the ninth, as Bushnell's bullpen locked down the 8-5 win.
Oliver Massie battled through six innings for the Yotes, striking out ten while allowing just three earned runs. Zaylor Bruegeman took the loss after surrendering four runs in the ninth.
Game Two: Late Bushnell Blast Stuns Yotes Again
Game Two was a pitcher's duel from the start, with Nate Vidlak dealing six innings of two-run ball and striking out ten. The Yotes struck first in the third, as Jack Ingraham plated Cannon Morgan on an RBI single. But Bushnell's Cade Crist delivered another crushing blow, a two-run homer in the fourth to put the Beacons on top.
The Yotes tied it up in the seventh, capitalizing on a defensive miscue to push Bryan Ebe across the plate. But once again, disaster struck in the ninth. Bushnell's Jordan Wilson delivered the final gut punch—a three-run home run off reliever Grant Jakobson—to put the Beacons up 5-2. The Yotes went quietly in the bottom half, unable to find late-game heroics.
The Yotes, now 12-12 on the season and 2-9 in conference play, will look to bounce back tomorrow at Wolfe Field at 11 a.m. as they continue the series against Bushnell.
