CALDWELL, Idaho - The College of Idaho baseball team closed its home schedule in unforgettable fashion Sunday, grinding out a pair of dramatic, one-run victories over Eastern Oregon University at Wolfe Field on Senior Day. With seniors honored between games and the stakes rising late in the conference season, the Yotes delivered under pressure to sweep the doubleheader and send their graduating class out the right way.
Between games, The College of Idaho recognized
Michael Corkish,
Skye Palmer,
Jace Mahlke,
Caden Casagrande,
Grant Jakobson,
Willy Shirts,
Jackson Cummins,
Tucker Seabaugh,
Trent Phillips,
Brandon Faire,
Calvin Euper and
Darren Smith.
The opener set the tone with immediate intensity. Eastern Oregon struck first in the opening inning behind an RBI single from Mario Landeros and a two-run home run by Tommy Whiles, putting the Yotes in an early hole. The College of Idaho answered quickly, as
Cody Guy belted a solo home run and
Darren Smith followed with an RBI single to steady the moment and ignite the crowd.
The Mountaineers briefly regained the lead in the fourth on an RBI groundout from Andrew Demianew, but the Yotes refused to flinch. With the game tied late, The College of Idaho loaded the bases in the ninth, and
Corbin Sterner delivered the decisive moment, lining a walk-off single to left center to secure a 5-4 victory. On the mound,
Zaylor Bruegeman worked a clean ninth inning to earn the win, stranding Eastern Oregon's dangerous top of the order, including Alex Olague.
Game two unfolded as a tense pitchers' duel, defined by timely execution and lockdown bullpen work. The Yotes broke through in the fourth inning as
Skye Palmer drove in a run with a single up the middle before
Brandon Faire followed with an RBI base hit to make it 2-0.
Eastern Oregon kept pressing, cutting the margin to one in the sixth when Jason DeBone doubled to center to score David Soto. From there, the Mountaineers continued to threaten behind multi-hit efforts from Jace Nagler and DeBone, but the Yotes' pitching staff stood tall.
Jack Ryan delivered six gritty innings for The College of Idaho, and after
Kayden Sandow bridged the gap, Casagrande slammed the door in the ninth to earn the save, sealing the 2-1 win.
Through two tightly contested games, the Yotes leaned on depth, poise and clutch performances, embodying the resolve that has defined the senior class being honored. Eastern Oregon showed fight throughout the day, with Whiles, DeBone and Nagler consistently applying pressure, but The College of Idaho responded at every critical moment.
The Yotes now turn their attention to the road, heading south for a crucial four-game series at Oregon Tech in Klamath Falls. The series opens with a doubleheader on April 25, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m., as The College of Idaho looks to carry its Senior Day momentum into the season's final stretch.
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