Zach Draper threw a complete game for the College of Idaho
VANCOUVER – The College of Idaho ‘Yotes earned a 6-1 win over the Oregon Tech Hustlin’ Owls to kickstart the NAIA West Grouping North Division Championship at Thunderbird Park Saturday morning.
Zach Draper went the distance in a solid performance on the mound for C of I allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out eight.
“That was a big game to go out and get the first win to guarantee playing tomorrow and it’s against a guy that’s beat us twice this year that we hadn’t swung well against,” said College of Idaho head coach Shawn Humberger.
“We had a good approach and executed it and played a great game.”
After a scoreless first two innings, the ‘Yotes got on the board first in the top of the third. Ryan Murkle hit a one out double while Bobby Wright got Murkle to third on a sacrifice bunt. Johnny Hyland then followed up with an RBI single to right centre.
After another solid inning of work from Draper the ‘Yotes threatened in the top of the fourth loading the bases with none out. The Owls got a pair of force outs at home but C of I got two more runs across on Murkle’s second double of the game.
The ‘Yotes added to their lead in the seventh when Wright doubled off the left field fence scoring Hunter Hanson all the way from first.
Cole Mansanarez made it a 5-0 ‘Yotes lead hammering a solo home run over the left field fence to lead off the eighth. Mansanarez made it back to the plate with two down in the ninth and got another base hit advancing to second on a fielding error that also allowed Dalton Ridgeway to score giving College of Idaho a 6-0 lead.
The Owls faced a mountain ahead of them in the bottom of the ninth but started to mount a rally. After hitting a lead off single, Blake Wrotenberry scored on an Alexis Paz hit to centre. But the single run was all Oregon Tech could muster as the ‘Yotes took the all important 1-0 start to the tournament.
“We didn’t do a great job defensively,” said Oregon Tech head coach Matt Miles following their disappointing start to the weekend.
“We gave up a few runs, three unearned runs early and played poor defensively. We weren’t swinging well but their pitcher did a great job against us. We didn’t play up to our potential.”
The ‘Yotes next face the host UBC Thunderbirds at 1 p.m. PT at Thunderbird Park. A win for College of Idaho would clinch a berth in Sunday’s championship final.
Following their opening matchup with the ‘Yotes the T-Birds will face Oregon Tech at 4 p.m. PT in a must-win for the Owls.