COMING UP: vs. Puget Sound, Saturday, 1 p.m.; vs. Puget Sound (DH), Sunday, Noon; vs. Puget Sound, Monday, 2 p.m.
LAST WEEK: vs. Corban (L 5-0, W 9-5, W 6-4, L 9-8)
YOTES SPLIT WITH CORBAN: Last weekend, the Yotes played one of only three NAIA West Grouping home series, splitting the four-game set with Corban. The C of I remains right in the thick of the loop standings with a 6-2 record, tied with Lewis-Clark State and Concordia atop the league. The Coyotes are one of four teams have played eight games in NAIA West action this season, joining L-C State, Corban, and Menlo.
EDDY CONTINUES TO IMPRESS: Getting the start in Game 2, right-hander
Ryan Eddy (Boise, Idaho / Eastern Arizona CC) picked up his fourth-straight victory in the 9-5 C of I win. The junior has allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of the victories, walking just six batters in 28 innings, while striking out 24. Eddy is tied for the NAIA West lead with the four wins, while ranking second in strikeouts with 31.
FRESHMAN HAS BIG WEEKEND OUT OF THE PEN: With the Yotes looking for a dependable arm out of the bullpen, true freshman
Brady Winfield (Middleton, Idaho / Middleton HS) made the most of his opportunity against Corban. The righty made appearances in three of the four games, tossing a combined six and one third innings – allowing nine hits and striking out two, without giving up an earned run. In eight appearances this season, Winfield has allowed just one earned run – with his two walks surrendered both intentional free passes.
SENIORS PROVIDE THE BATS: With only two senior position players on the roster, the duo of
Jesse Dodd (Eagle, Idaho / Loyola Marymount U.) and
Jarel Lewis (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS) were the run producers against Corban. Dodd continued his torrid pace, going 5-for-15 in the series with a double, triple, and three RBI, while Lewis went 5-for-16 with two doubles and four RBI. Dodd currently leads the NAIA West in doubles (10) and RBI (23) and is second in total hits (33).
WHO WAS HOT: It was a good weekend with the stick for true freshman
Jake Hennessey (Mountain Home, Idaho / U. of Idaho), as the Yotes backstop went 5-for-11 with a double and three RBI during the series. Transfer
Gregg Simonds (Boise, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC) had four hits in 13 at bats against Corban, logging a pair of multi-hit games – his eighth multi-hit game in his last 12 starts. The Yotes also got a solid start from left-hander
Parker Vernon (Redmond, Ore. / Redmond HS), recording his first career complete game – allowing just seven hits and striking out five in his third-straight win.
WHAT WAS NOT: The Yotes struggled against left-handed pitching in the series, going just 4-for-28 against southpaws.
AROUND THE NAIA WEST: Only one other NAIA West series was played last week, with Corban and Lewis-Clark State splitting a four-game series in Salem. Two other series will be played this weekend, as Lewis-Clark State hosts Menlo and Oregon Tech travels to Concordia.
NAIA WEST / NAIA PRESEASON POLLS: The Yotes were picked to finish third in the eight-team NAIA West Grouping, comprised of CCC, California Pacific Conference, and NAIA independent members. Defending regular-season champion, Lewis-Clark State, was picked to win the title, followed by British Columbia, the Coyotes, and Menlo – with the No. 2-4 spots separated by just five voter points. Concordia was picked fifth, followed by Corban, Oregon Tech, and Simpson. The C of I received 23 voter points in the preseason NAIA Top-25 Coaches’ Poll, the tenth team listed in the others’ receiving votes’ category. Defending national champion, Tennessee Wesleyan was ranked No. 1, followed by LSU-Shreveport, Lee (Tenn.), Oklahoma City, and Rogers State (Okla.), with Lewis-Clark State ranked No. 8, and UBC receiving votes. The first regular-season Top-25 will be released on March 25.
PLAYING AT HOME: The Yotes opened the 2013 season with a 5-1 record – winning a series with Whitman and splitting the set with Corban. Since the only diamond in the Gem State with an artificial turfed infield opened in 2009, the Yotes have posted an 82-31 record, including a 24-6 mark at home in 2012.
ABOUT PUGET SOUND: The Yotes close out their non-conference play, hosting the Division III Loggers (7-9), who look to end a four-game losing streak. UPS, coming off a 16-inning setback against Whitworth on Sunday, is led offensively by the trio of Lucas Stone (.356 0 HR 3 RBI), Christian Carter (.317 2 HR 10 RBI), and Nathan Backes (.292 0 HR 14 RBI), part of an offense that hits .269 as a team and averages five runs a game. On the mound, Matt Robinson (4-1 0.76 ERA) has been the ace of the staff, allowing just three earned runs in 35-plus innings of work, as UPS has a solid 4.45 team ERA. The two teams have not met since 2007, with the Coyotes holding a 23-5 all-time series lead.
RECORD BOOK: Only one C of I player currently is in the Top-10 career record book, as Jarel Lewis ranks No. 6 in doubles (45) and No. 9 in hit-by-pitches (34).
GAME RECAP – CORBAN 5, C OF I 0; C OF I 9, CORBAN 5: Ryan Eddy gutted through seven innings and The C of I were aided by three Corban errors, as the Coyotes salvaged a doubleheader split with the Warriors at Wolfe Field. Corban took the opener, 5-0, behind a four-hit shutout from Jamie McCaffrey, while the Yotes bounced back in Game 2 for an 8-5 win. McCaffrey was the story in Game 1, allowing just one runner to third base in the win – getting a pair of key double plays behind him. He walked three men and struck out one to earn his fourth win. The lefty was staked out to a quick lead, as a C of I throwing error on a double play ball allowed Gregg Romero to score from second in the opening frame. An inning later, a Marc Gallegos RBI single would make it 2-0, with a second run scoring on anther Yote miscue. Corban would add to the lead in the fifth on a Jordan Johansen RBI double and cap the scoring in the seventh on a Steven Kha RBI single. Gallegos, Kha, and Derek Legg each had two hits for Corban. Jake Hennessey had two of the four hits for the Coyotes, with
Taylor Nicholson (Emmett, Idaho / Columbia Basin CC) allowing three earned runs and fanned six in seven innings. The Warriors jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 1st, as Corban manufactured a run, as Legg singled in a run. The Yotes would respond in the second, scoring a run on a throwing error and another on a Parker Vernon sacrifice fly, to take a 2-1 lead. Corban would retake the lead at 4-2 in the third, with a Legg RBI double the big blow. Trailing 4-3, the Coyotes used a five-run fifth inning to take the lead for good, including an RBI single by Vernon, an RBI double from
Nick Muncy (Caldwell, Idaho / Whitworth U.), and a pair of sacrifice flies. It was enough for Eddy, who tossed seven innings, allowing just two earned runs and struck out seven for the win. Vernon went 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead the Coyote attack. Legg went 4-for-4 and Gallegos had a 3-for-5 game in the loss for Corban.
GAME RECAP – C OF I 6, CORBAN 4; CORBAN 9, C OF I 8: A C of I five-run ninth inning rally in Game 2 came up short, as the Coyotes settled for a doubleheader split with Corban University Saturday afternoon at Wolfe Field, winning the opener, 6-4, but dropping the late game, 9-8. Jesse Dodd went 6-for-9 in the twin bill, driving in three runs, while Jake Hennessey added three RBI for the Coyotes - who remain among the leaders in the NAIA West Grouping. In Game 2, Dodd got the Yotes on the board with an RBI double in the first inning to stake the hosts to a 1-0 lead. However, the Warriors batted around in the second, plating five runs - the big blow a Marc Gallegos two-run single. The C of I would trail 9-3 heading into the ninth, but found some two-out magic - as
Joe Roseberry (Middleton, Idaho / Middleton HS) scored on a wild pitch, Jarel Lewis lined an RBI double, Hennessey punched a ball through the right side for an RBI single, and Gregg Simonds singled home a pair to get the Yotes within a run. However, Ransom Storm struck out Parker Vernon, representing the winning run, with a nasty split-fingered fastball to end the game. Gallegos went 3-for-5 with four RBI and Jordan Johansen went 3-for-4 for the Warriors, part of an 18 hit attack. Daniel Gober went five innings, striking out five for the win. Lewis had four hits and Dodd added three for the Yotes, with reliever Brady Winfield tossing three-plus innings of scoreless relief to keep C of I in the game. The opener saw Corban commit five errors that led to three unearned runs - the difference in the contest. With Lewis at first and two outs in the opening frame, Dodd lifted a sky high fly ball to center that Andy Hill dropped in the windy conditions, allowing a run to score. Hennessey followed with a blooper into left-center that eluded four Warrior fielders, ended as an RBI double and a 2-0 led. Leading 3-2 in the fifth, the Yotes got three key insurance runs - as Lewis roped an RBI single through the left side, Dodd tripled to the right-center gap, and Hennessey delivered him with a sacrifice fly. It was enough for Vernon, who struck out five in a complete game effort for his third win. Dodd went 2-for-4 in the victory for the Yotes. Derek Legg went 2-for-4 for Corban, with starter Jacob Kopra allowing eight hits in the loss.
ABOUT THE COACH: The 2013 season marks the 26th year in The C of I baseball program for head coach
Shawn Humberger, his 13th year as Coyote skipper. Last season, he led the squad to a 41-21 record and the title at the Azusa Opening Round NAIA Tournament site, advancing to the AVISTA-NAIA World Series, where the Yotes finished tied for ninth. During his tenure, Humberger has compiled a 417-270-1 record, including a third-place finish at the 2002 NAIA World Series, a trip to the 2010 NAIA National Tournament, and the trip to the 2012 NAIA World Series. He has been named Cascade Conference Coach of the Year on six different occasions (2002, 2005, 2006. 2007, 2008, and 2009), along with earning NAIA Region I Coach-of-the-Year and CCC Men's Coach-of-the-Year for all sports in 2002. A native of Twin Falls, Humberger graduated from Twin Falls High, played for the College of Southern Idaho for two seasons, and played at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas for one year. In 1984, Humberger was part of the CSI national championship junior-college team. In addition, he was named to the 1985 Junior College All-America team. Humberger, a 1989 C of I graduate, also served as the facilities coordinator for the J.A. Albertson Activities Center for 10 years, is a physical education instructor at the College, and coached Nampa's American Legion baseball program for eight seasons. He and his wife, Michelle, live in Caldwell and have four children - sons Riley and Bailey and daughters Sydney and Sage - with his son, Riley, a junior infielder on the Coyote team.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I baseball program, visit the official homepage of the Coyotes’,
http://www.yoteathletics.com/index.aspx?path=baseball&tab=0.
