Mitch Dame picked up his second win with seven strong innings
CALDWELL, Idaho - College of Idaho pitchers limited Whitworth University to just one run this afternoon, as the Coyotes claimed the four-game series with the Pirates, sweeping today’s doubleheader, 6-1 and 1-0, at Wolfe Field.
The wins for the Yotes (10-10) allowed The C of I to finish their non-conference schedule with a 10-6 record by taking 3-of-4 games from the Division III Pirates.
Game 1 saw WU (5-7) take an early 1-0 lead in the second inning on a Michael Takemura sacrifice fly, but the Coyotes took the lead for good in the third, as Jeffrey Harris scored on a wild pitch and Izaac Garsez scored on a Todd Griffiths sacrifice fly.
The C of I would take advantage of a walk and two hit by pitches in the fourth to plate four runs – as a Cody Spencer RBI single started the rally, Griffiths was plunked with the bases loaded, a third run scored on a wild pitch, with a Kyle Douglas sacrifice fly making it 6-1.
It was enough for Mitch Dame, who went seven strong innings, to improve to 2-0 on the season. Seven different C of I batters had one hit in the game. Relievers Erik Anderson and James King were solid in relief for the Pirates (5-7), tossing four and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief.
Game 2 was a pitchers’ duel between Griffiths for the Yotes and Ben George of the Bucs – as both tossed complete games. WU had a chance to score first in the fifth inning, as Ryan Beecroft reached on a two-out error, then tried to score on a Nathan Johnson single when the ball was bobbled in left field, but a great relay throw by Tanner Hodges gunned down Beecroft at the plate to keep the game scoreless.
The Yotes would break the ice in the sixth, as Hodges led off with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Harris would follow with a perfectly executed suicide squeeze, plating the lone run of the game.
Griffiths did the rest, coaxing Beecroft to ground into a game-ending double play, to notch his second shutout of the season. Gavin Gamboa had two of the Yotes four hits off of George, while no Pirate had a multi-hit game.
The Coyotes return to action next weekend, traveling to Portland, Ore., for a four-game series at Concordia.