VANCOUVER – The Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) Warriors showed emphatically why they’re the class of the NAIA West Grouping this weekend at Thunderbird Park.
The Warriors were barely challenged in the winner-take-all final game of the 2016 NAIA West Grouping Championship, presented by U.S. Bank, dispatching the College of Idaho Coyotes 5-0. The Warriors didn’t just shutout the ‘Yotes, they blanked the entire tournament by a score of 15-0, giving up only 10 hits over their three-game romp through the competition.
LC State starting pitcher Connor Brogdon was masterful in the championship game, going 7.1 innings, giving up three hits, and striking out eight.
LC State scored the winning run early in the game. In the bottom of the second, Warrior first baseman Tyler McDowell ripped a drive into right field, which got past ‘Yotes right fielder Cole Mansanarez and rolled all the way to the Thunderbird Park fence. Warrior shortstop Cabe Reiten stepped into the batter’s box next and calmly stroked a sacrifice fly to Mansanerez, allowing McDowell to trot home.
The Warriors broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth. With the bases loaded Lewis-Clark State center fielder Logan Griffin sent a rocket down the right field line, clearing the bases. Third baseman Robert Smith came up next and smacked a double into the right center alley, plating Griffin.
The ‘Yotes’ 1-2-3 hitters of Mitch Skaggs, Hunter Hanson, and Mansanarez, who were spectacular throughout the tournament, could only manage a single base hit each against the LC State hurlers.
Brogdon took the win for the Warriors, while Dalton Ridgeway gave up five earned runs over six innings to take the loss for College of Idaho.
College of Idaho were the runner up in the tournament, earning themselves a berth in the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round to be played next week at a site to be determined. Lewis-Clark State, the defending national champion, has an automatic bid to the NAIA World Series, which they will host in Lewiston, Idaho, beginning May 27.