C of I, L-C State to Square Off for NAIA Region I Crown
VANCOUVER, B.C. -- The College of Idaho baseball team will play in the NAIA Region I Tournament championship game for the fourth-straight season, coming through the loser's bracket to meet top-seeded Lewis-Clark State Saturday at noon at Nat Bailey Stadium.
After losing a tough 11-0 decision to L-C in today's semifinal game, the Yotes (30-25) rebounded, eliminating host British Columbia with a 6-2 victory tonight. The winner of tomorrow's title game will host Region II champion, Azusa Pacific in the Pacific Northwest/Far West Sectional, Thursday through Saturday.
The 30-wins by the Coyotes is the 11th time in the last 14 years that The C of I has notched 30-or-more wins in a season.
Game 1 - Lewis-Clark State 11, C of I 0: The No. 2 ranked Warriors (49-5) banged out 19 hits, the most allowed by The C of I this season, recording their 11th-shutout of the season.
A five-run second inning blew the game open, with a bases-clearing triple from Bernard Pena in the fourth made it 9-0.
It was enough for Matt Fitts, who allowed just one hit in eight innings of work to improve to 10-0 on the season. Fitts walked just one batter and struck out seven.
Game 2 - C of I 6, British Columbia 2: A two-run double by Brad Carlsen broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth inning, leading the Yotes to their fifth win in their last six games with the T-Birds (24-28).
UBC took a 1-0 lead in the third on a Mike Styrna double, but the Coyotes responded, with Bryan Champ tying the score with an RBI single in the fifth. Carlsen then gapped a ball, scoring Champ and Brett Ward.
The Yotes would make it 6-1 in the seventh on a Dane McGrady RBI single and a two-run Richie Snider base knock.
It was enough for starter Pat Lyon, who rebounded from a tough outing against the T-Birds last weekend. The senior went eight innings, allowing just six hits, walking one, and striking out five, to pick up his fifth win of the year.