Concordia tallied 10 double plays in 16 innings of play on Saturday against the Yotes.
Concordia Ties NAIA Record with Six DP's in Second Game of Conference Split with Yotes
PORTLAND, Ore. – Behind 10 double plays including an NAIA record-tying six in the nightcap, Concordia managed a Cascade Collegiate Conference split against The College of Idaho on Saturday at The Yard. The Yotes won the opener 10-3 while Concordia rallied to take the second match up 6-5. With the results, C of I moved to 19-21 while Concordia rested at 11-19.
In the seven-inning opener, Jake Bottari (Wells, Nev.) held the Cavaliers to three hits and three runs while using 10 runs of support to earn the win. The Yotes plated three in the first and four in the second to take a 7-0 lead before Concordia even managed a baserunner.
Aided by two of Concordia’s four errors, the Yotes batted around in the second inning with an Alex O’Brien (Everett, Wash.) single to center providing two runs.
Another error in the fourth allowed Cody Brubaker (Post Falls, Idaho) to score for an eight-run lead and a two-run shot over the right-field fence by Jake Miller (Idaho Falls, Idaho) in he fifth gave the Yotes a double-digit tally in the scoring column.
The Cavs finally struck in the seventh when Ben Lanier (Kinston, N.C./Kinston H.S.) belted his fourth home run of the year, this time with two runners on base.
Bottari allowed eight hits and three runs while striking out four and walking one for the win. Ross Conway (Seattle, Wash./Garfield H.S.) was charged with the loss after allowing seven runs, only two of which were earned, in two innings of work.
In the second game, Concordia errors in the third and the forth allowed two Yote runners to score in each inning to put the home team into a four-run deficit. The College of Idaho added a run in the sixth with a single by Dane McGrady (Boise, Idaho) creating an RBI after a lead-off double by Luke Howarth (Boise, Idaho).
After throwing a one-hitter through five innings, Yote starter Pat Lyon (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) was finally touched in the sixth with a pair of Concordia doubles. Reaching by error, Sam McCormick (Keizer, Ore./McNary H.S.) was brought home by Sean Strachan (Portland, Ore./Roosevelt H.S.) and Strachan rounded the bases by a double to center by Lanier.
The next inning, Sean Myrom (San Diego, Calif./Ranch Bernardo H.S.) led off with a solo homer to deep center to set-up an eighth-inning rally by the Cavs.
After a lead-off single by Derek Shigano (Pearl City, Hawaii/Roosevelt H.S.), Yote reliever Jason Barry (Castlegar, B.C.) retired the next two before the Cavs connected for three singles and a double to take the lead 6-5
A single through the right side by the catcher Ryan Sussenguth (Gresham, Ore./Sam Barlow H.S.) brought Shigano home and a hit-by-pitch taken by Myrom gave the Cavs runners at first and second. Moments after the runners moved up a base via a balk called on Barry, Jon Houts (Ramona, Calif./Ramona H.S.) drilled a shot over the bag at third which provided the two runs. Further damage was prevented with Houts thrown out at home by left-fielder Miller in the next at-bat.
With one out, reliever Brett Hawley allowed as single to Brad Carlsen (Reno, Nev.) but the CU defense would prevail with the team’s sixth double play of the game by successfully turning a Miller grounder to second base for the final outs.
The Cavs recorded a double play in the final six innings to tie an NAIA record. The feat has been accomplished on three occasions with the most recent occurring in 14 years ago as Westmont (Calif.) turned six in 1984.
The two teams conclude the series at The Yard tomorrow for a pair of games slated for an 11 a.m. start. Following a nine-inning game, the squads will play a seven-inning non-conference game.