College of Idaho starter Jason Berry lasted 8 1/3 innings in a 7-3 over Concordia on Sunday.
Cavs, Yotes Split for Second Straight Day
PORTLAND, Ore.—For the second straight day, The College of Idaho captured a win in the nine-inning opener only to see Concordia rally late to snatch a win in the seven-inning follow-up to split another NAIA West Region doubleheader (7-3, 2-3) at Joe Etzel Stadium.
C of I (22-10, 19-4) used a five-run third in the first game of the day en route to the 7-3 victory while Concordia (13-23, 8-16) fell behind 2-0 through the first frame but held the Yotes scoreless the rest of the way for a 3-2 win the nightcap.
The Yotes scored one in the second before the five-run explosion in the next inning to take a 6-1 lead heading into the bottom the third. The Cavaliers would get a run back in the home half of the third but would see the stanza come to a close with Kyle Schneider getting thrown out at second base by Cody Brubaker after trying to stretch the hit into a double.
The Cavs would load the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth but would generate just one run off a Cameron Baker single before C of I reliever Chad Yeggy would close the door with a strikeout and a grounder to third to end the game.
Yote starter Jason Barry went 8 1/3 innings on the mound, allowing eight hits and three runs while striking out a pair. Steven Taft went seven full in the loss.
The Yotes strung six straight hits together in the third, four of which were tagged right back up the middle. Overall, C of I outhit the Cavs 12-9.
Five different betters collected two hits for C of I. Schneider went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI to lead the Cavaliers.
In the final game of the two-day series, the Yotes struck for two quick runs in the first off CU starter Ben Rue. Alex O’Brien capped the inning with a double down the left-field line to score Brad Carlsen from second.
Concordia got one run back in the bottom of the inning with a J.J. Berg single through the middle to bring in Jimmy Rudig. The Cavs tied the contest in the second when a lead-off walk generated by Brett Byrd turned into a run on a single to left-center off Brennan Ingram’s bat. With runners at first and third, Yote starter Jake Bottari limited the damage with a pair of strikeouts to get out of the jam.
After scoring in the first, C of I was shut out the rest of the way as Rue scattered five hits over the next six innings and eventually earning the win with the aid of sixth-inning score.
Ben Lanier opened the deciding inning with a walk and was moved over to second on a flawless sacrifice bunt down the first-base line by Brennan Ingram. Lanier would come around to score with Tyler Anderson reached safely due to an errant throw by C of I second baseman Matt Mejia which sailed over the head of Yote first baseman Diego Robles, allowing Lanier to round third after taking off on the two-out at bat.
Brubaker would connect on a two-out double in the top of the seventh to provide additional drama, but Rue would end the comeback hopes with a strikeout against Carlsen to preserve the victory.
The Yotes outhit the Cavs 8-5. With Carlsen, O’Brien and Robles each posted two-hit days. Rudig went 2-for-4 as the lone CU batter to collect more than a single hit.
Rue went the distance for his second win of the season, striking out six and issuing two walks in the process. Bottari lasted all but the final two outs for the Yotes, giving up five hits and three runs, two of which were earned, while striking out seven.
Concordia returns to action on April 7 by traveling to St. Martin’s College for a single nine-inning game in Lacey, Wash., while College of Idaho will next take the field at home on the same day against Central Washington.