Bryan Hildebrand got the save in Game 1 for the Yotes
CALDWELL, Idaho - Jarel Lewis' RBI single in the eighth inning plated the winning run in Game 1, with Joshua Orr striking out eight men in a complete game effort in Game 2, as The College of Idaho swept a doubleheader from Willamette University, 6-5 and 5-1, at Wolfe Field.
The Coyotes (8-2) extended their win streak to six games with the victories - their first games against the Division III school since 1999.
Izaac Garsez got The C of I off on the right foot in the opener, crushing a two-out solo homer in the opening frame, to give the Yotes a 1-0 lead. However, Brandon Simon shut down the Coyote offense, retiring 13 batters in a row, as the Bearcats (1-5) drew even in the fifth with an unearned run.
A three-run sixth gave the Yotes the lead back, scoring a run off a WU error, with Jeffrey Harris lining an RBI double, and Tanner Hodges following with a run-scoring single. The 'Cats would not quit, as Dylan Summers led off the seventh with a triple, scoring on a pinch hit grounder by Tiras Koon. WU would bring the go-ahead run to the plate, with Mitch Rowan golfing a three-run homer to deep right-center, giving the visitors a 5-4 lead.
In the eighth, Todd Griffiths was hit by a pitch and Harris singled. A double-steal moved the runners up 90 feet, with the throw to second eluding the WU defense, allowing Griffiths to score the tying run. Lewis poked a base hit through the right side to bring in the go-ahead run. Willamette had runners at first and second in the ninth with one out, but Bryan Hildebrand picked Tosh Semlacher off at first, and following a walk, got Galen Duff to line out to right to end the game.
Chad Yeggy got a no-decision for the Yotes, throwing six solid innings, allowing an unearned run on seven hits. Harris went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the win, while Tyson Giza went 3-for-5 with an RBI in the loss for WU.
The Bearcats took an early 1-0 lead in Game 2, as Semlacher legged out an infield single to score Giza with the first run of the game. The Coyotes would tie the game in the second on a Cameron Packham RBI double, taking the lead in the third on a Hodges' RBI groundout. A two-run triple by Garsez and a Hodges RBI bunt base hit in the fifth extended the lead to 5-1. It was enough for Orr, who did not allow another hit until the seventh inning - when WU loaded the bases with no outs. However, a pair of strikeouts and a ground out ended the threat.
Garsez and Harris each had two hits in the victory, with Orr improving to 3-0 on the season. T.J. Whidby fanned five in the loss for Willamette.
The two teams close out the series with a twinbill tomorrow at 11 a.m.