CALDWELL, Idaho – Mountaineers Baseball split day one of their series with Interstate-84 rival College of Idaho Saturday afternoon. Eastern Oregon won game one, 8-5, before falling 7-4 in game two. The day one split moves EOU's record to 6-13 on the year.
Although the series was shifted to Caldwell due to inclement weather in the La Grande area, Eastern was designated the home team in both games. EOU will also be the home team in both games on Sunday.
Game 1 – Eastern Oregon 8, College of Idaho 5
How it Happened
• The Mountaineers barely outhit the Yotes, 11-10, while both teams had one error. Helping EOU in the win was a five-run fifth inning and holding C of I (10-11) scoreless in the final four frames.
• Both teams got a leadoff hit in the first inning, but both runners were left stranded to keep the game scoreless. EOU grabbed the lead at 1-0 in the bottom of the second.
•
Donovan Gonzalez was the lone run scored in the frame. He got on with a one-out single, advanced to second on a bunt and ultimately scored on a
McKlane Elgin RBI single.
• C of I answered in the top of the third scoring two runs to go ahead 2-1. An RBI double to deep right field scored the first run and a fielder's choice on the next at bat gave the Yotes the lead.
• The Yotes held the one-run lead after the third and tacked on a run in the fourth to go ahead by two, 3-1. A two-out double followed by a single scored the run to put C of I up by two.
• EOU got back within one in the bottom of the fourth thanks to back-to-back extra base hits. Gonzalez led off with a double and was then plated home on an RBI double from
Adrian Roa.
• After getting within one at 3-2, the Mounties surrendered two runs in the top of the fifth to trail 5-2. A leadoff single followed by a double scored the first run for C of I.
• Leading 4-2, the Yotes advanced their runner to third on a groundout before a single to left field scored the run. C of I never scored again and EOU responded in a big way.
• The Mounties went back in front by a score of 7-5 with the help of five runs in the bottom of the fifth. Eastern racked up our hits to score five runs and go up by two.
• EOU loaded the bases with no outs and Gonzalez got the scoring run started. He knocked an RBI single to right, scoring
Brooks Dyer and made it a 5-3 game.
• On the next at bat, Roa was hit by pitch which scored
Matt Garcia. Two batters later Elgin hit a bases clearing triple to right center and put EOU up 7-5.
• The Mounties added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh to go ahead by the final score of 8-5. Roa hit an RBI sacrifice fly to left, scoring pinch runner
Zac Rackham.
• Defensively, Eastern locked in over the final four frames allowing just two hits. In the eighth and ninth inning, the Yotes did not register a hit as EOU secured the series opening win.
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
•
Donovan Gonzalez hit a game best 4-4, scored three runs and had one RBI.
•
McKlane Elgin went 2-4 at the plate and had a game-high four RBI.
• Pinch runner
Zac Rackham scored a pair of runs.
• Starter
Jaydon Yancey (1-1) went six complete innings in his first win.
• Reliever
Jacob Farnsworth earned the save, his first, and had two strikeouts in one inning.
•
Kolbe Bales pitched two complete frames and tallied four strikeouts.
For the Yotes
• Alex McFarland Smith went 2-5 with two RBI and a run scored.
• Ben Gaff batted 2-4 in the loss and had one RBI.
• Kirby Robertson (2-2) suffered the loss in 4.2 innings pitched. He had a game-high seven strikeouts.
Game 2 – College of Idaho 7, Eastern Oregon 4
How it Happened
• The second game saw both teams tallied double figure hits again. EOU had the advantage at 12-10, but committed two errors in the loss. C of I played a clean game with none.
• Playing a role in the Yotes game two win was the long ball. They hit a pair of multiple-run homers midway through the contest.
• Eastern also had a home run that came in the first inning to give the team the early lead.
Hector Carreon smacked a two-run shot to center field, scoring him and
Austin Gerding.
• The Mounties went into the second leading 2-0 and held the Yotes scoreless through the first three innings. In the top of the fourth, C of I ended its drought with a run scored.
• The Yotes got the run on the board with the help of two hits and a balk by EOU. They hit a leadoff double and the runner got to third on a balk. He scored on a single through the left side.
• In the fifth, the Yotes tacked on four runs thanks to four hits, including a home run. A three-run homer following a single and double gave C of I its first lead of the day at 4-2.
• From that point on, the Yotes held onto the lead. An RBI fielder's choice added the fourth run for C of I who led 5-2.
• Eastern got one run back in the bottom of the fifth.
McKlane Elgin hit a triple, his second of the day, to get on base. He was immediately plated home on
Brooks Dyer RBI single.
• Elgin and Dyer's efforts got the Mountaineers within two heading into the sixth, but C of I added two insurance runs in the frame. Both runs came on a two-run homer to right center field.
• The second home run of the day for the Yotes gave them a 7-3 lead. They held that lead until the eighth when EOU scored one final time.
• In the bottom of the eighth, EOU looked to make a comeback as the team loaded the bases with one out. The lone run was scored on a bases loaded walk to bring in Carreon.
• The Mounties looked to potentially tie the game or take the lead in the eighth with the bases loaded. C of I escaped the jam though with a strikeout and groundout to hold on for the win.
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
•
Hector Carreon hit a home run and was 2-5 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored.
•
Austin Gerding was 2-4 with one RBI and scored a run.
•
McKlane Elgin went 1-4 at the plate and scored once.
•
Davis Brown (1-3) pitched four complete innings in the start and had two strikeouts.
For the Yotes
• Alex McFarland-Smith hit both home runs, was 3-5, had five RBI and scored two runs.
• Ben Dudley went 2-4 at the plate and tallied one RBI.
• Jonah Hultberg also had two hits, going 2-5 and scored a run.
• Starter Dimmick Wood (3-2) went seven complete on the bump and had a game best six strikeouts.
• Erik Wisenor earned the save, his fourth, and had two strikeouts in 1.2 innings of relief.
By the Numbers
6 - With the game one win, EOU surpasses its win total from 2021 (5) with six now in 2022.
2 -
Hector Carreon hit his second home run of the season in game two.
10 - Eastern racked up 10-plus hits in both games against C of I on day one.
9 - The Mountie batters struck out nine times in both games against the Yotes.
10 - The Yotes had exactly 10 hits in both games.
Up Next
• EOU and C of I will wrap up the non-conference series tomorrow, March 6, with another doubleheader tilt. Game three first pitch is set for 10 a.m. PT, with the finale to follow at 1 p.m PT.
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