Mitch Skaggs celebrates his home run against Corban
VANCOUVER – Two very loud swings won the game for the College of Idaho Coyotes in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over the Corban (Ore.) Warriors during second day action at the 2016 NAIA West Grouping Championships, presented by U.S. Bank.
The win moves the ‘Yotes into a high noon showdown versus the UBC Thunderbirds Sunday, with the winner moving on to face undefeated Lewis-Clark State at 3 p.m. The College of Idaho also earns an automatic berth to the NAIA World Series Opening Round. The loss was Corban’s second and knocked them from the competition.
Corban manufactured the game’s opening run in the top of the sixth. Jackson Smith drilled a double over right fielder Jake Hennessey’s head. Benjamin Liogon’s clinical sacrifice bunt moved Hennessey to third. Designated hitter Hayden Calvert stepped to the plate and smacked the RBI single up the middle of the diamond. It was the only run ‘Yotes starting pitcher Joel Martin would allow. Martin was brilliant on the day giving up just the one run while striking out six in 6.1 innings of work.
College of Idaho threatened to tie it in the bottom of the seventh. After Dalton Ridgway walked and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, Johnny Hyland came to the plate. He tattooed a line drive right into the glove of Corban starting pitcher Riley Lewchuk, who gracefully spun and fired a strike to second and doubled off Ridgway.
In the eighth inning, the ‘Yotes finally got to Lewchuk, who had pitched an absolute gem up to that point. ‘Yotes left fielder Seth Champlin drilled a fastball over the left field fence to tie the game. Two batters later, ‘Yotes second baseman Mitch Skaggs deposited a tater behind the fence in left center field, giving College of Idaho the lead. The ‘Yotes would get one more run when Hunter Hanson scored on a Warrior fielding error.
College of Idaho’s Bobby Wright pitched a perfect ninth inning for the save, sending the ‘Yotes to play again Sunday and Corban home to Oregon.
‘Yotes right hander Drew Klassen pitched 1.2 innings for the victory. Lewchuk gave up only four hits over 7.2 innings, but two of the hits were homers and he took the loss.
The NAIA West Grouping Championship presented by US Bank goes all weekend at Thunderbird Park at UBC.