Todd Griffiths knocked in the game-winner of Game 2 for the Yotes
ALAMEDA, Calif. - A suicide squeeze bunt by Todd Griffiths in the ninth inning helped The College of Idaho salvage a doubleheader split at Patten University, as the Lions won Game 1, 3-2, before the Yotes stole Game 2, 11-7.
The Coyotes (30-12, 15-7 NAIA West) trailed 7-5 going into the ninth of the nightcap, but loaded the bases on a single, a walk, and a fielders’ choice. With one out, Jesse Dodd blooped a two-run single to knot the game at 7-7, with Griffiths laying down the perfect bunt to give the Yotes the lead. Izaac Garsez followed with an RBI single, with a pair of runs scoring after an error to cap the six-run frame.
Patten (12-20, 8-13) took an early 2-0 lead in the second, thanks to a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly, but the Yotes plated five runs in the fifth. Garsez smashed a two-run homer to tie the game, with Tyler Andazola giving the Coyotes the lead with a three-run blast of his own. The Lions would not quit, batting around in the seventh retake the lead on a two-run David Whiteside double – before the Coyote heroics.
Griffiths got the win, throwing an inning and two-thirds of shutout ball. Jeffrey Harris went 4-for-6, with Garsez going 3-for-5 in the win for the Yotes – part of a 15-hit attack. Whiteside went 2-for-5 for Patten.
Game 1 saw the Lions manufacture a run in the bottom of the ninth to earn the victory. PU took a 2-0 lead in the fifth on the strength on a Perry Rogan RBI double and a Denis O’Connor RBI single. The Yotes would get a single run in the sixth on a Harris RBI single and one in the eighth on a Tanner Hodges sacrifice fly to tie the score.
In the ninth, the Lions loaded the bases with two outs, with O’Connor slapping a single through the middle to win the game. Chad Yeggy was the tough-luck loser for the Yotes, allowing just five hits in the complete game effort. Hodges, Harris, and Jarel Lewis all had two hits for The C of I, while O’Connor went 2-for-4 for Patten.
The two teams will close out the weekend series tomorrow with an 11 a.m. doubleheader.