Yotes Open Wolfe Field, Split with Concordia
CALDWELL, Idaho - Luke Howarth capped the first games ever at brand new Wolfe Field with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh, helping The College of Idaho to a NAIA West split with Concordia, losing the opener, 3-2, but taking the nightcap, 4-3.
Playing in their new home, the Coyotes (8-5, 8-1) Andrew Brock tossed the first pitch at 12:02 p.m. and was locked in a dual with CU’s Ross Conway throughout. The Cavs broke through in the seventh, as a Brock error on a pickoff move pushed Jon Houts to third, eventually scoring on a Tommy Whalen sacrifice fly. Kenny Schneider had a pinch hit RBI single an inning later to give Concordia a 2-0 lead, before the Yotes tied it up in the bottom of the eighth, one on a Brad Carlsen sun-aided RBI double, followed by a Diego Robles RBI double.
CU (7-8, 2-3) would win it in the top of the ninth, as Houts ripped a hanging Brock curve-ball over the left field fence for the winner.
Mike Dickman went 2-for-3 in the win for CU, while Howarth went 3-for-3 in the loss.
Game 2 saw Concordia take an early lead on a second inning homer from Whalen, before the Yotes got the equalizer in the third on a Howarth RBI triple. Brady Miletich would answer with a lead-off homer in the fourth, with Brennan Ingram adding an RBI single to push the lead to 3-1.
The Yotes would draw even in the fifth, scoring one on a passed ball, another on a two-out RBI single from Cody Brubaker. That set the stage for Howarth, who lined the first pitch of the seventh over the wall in left-center for the game-winner.
Jake Bottari got the win for the Yotes, allowing six hits and three earned runs, but striking out nine. Howarth went 3-for-4 with the two RBI – pushing his season batting average to .500.
The two teams will meet in a doubleheader tomorrow, beginning at 11 a.m.