KEIZER, Ore. – Despite an 11-3 start to their season, the visiting Yotes from The College of Idaho were cooled off in the nightcap of their series doubleheader opener against the Corban University Baseball program, as the Dubs stormed back to nearly take game one while immediately taking charge in game two for a day one split featuring an 8-7 loss and 5-2 win for the Warriors.
"We just had one bad inning today," shared Corban head coach Ryan Harris. "C of I took advantage of our small ball and capitalized with runners in scoring position. I'm proud of the resolve our guys had to fight back in game one. In game two, we did a great job responding and getting the lead early. Brady was fantastic on the mound, along with Tanner and Peyton. We've got an opportunity in front of us to win a series tomorrow morning."
Game 1 | C of I 8, Corban 7
A single disastrous top of the third inning was the lone difference between the Warriors (6-10, 4-2) and day one doubleheader sweep, as the Yotes (11-3, 3-2) scored all but one of their game one runs in the third frame thanks to numerous small ball efforts where they moved runners around the bases at will. Corban redshirt senior starting pitcher Jack Kovanen was charged with the loss after allowing all seven of his runs to cross earned before giving way to the bullpen after 2.2 innings pitched.
C of I starting pitcher Jackson Cummins earned his fourth win of the season to remain without a loss this regular season, allowing three earned runs off seven hits in 6.0 innings pitched. The Yotes' pen barely managed to secure Cummins' win as the tying run reached third base in the bottom of the ninth inning for the Navy and Gold, though a strikeout looking to end the contest locked up the first save of the season for C of I closer Jack Ryan.
Senior first baseman Peyton Rickard tagged three pitches for a trio of hits to represent one of three athletes to secure at least three hits in the series opener. Redshirt sophomore rightfielder Sean Shaffer, senior shortstop Isaac Bateman, and redshirt sophomore third baseman JC Klee all tallied a pair of hits as well.
Yotes' designated hitter Austin Moon was the leading offensive player in game one, finishing 4-for-6 with two RBI and a run scored, while leadoff hitter and shortstop James Hull matched Rickard's success with three hits, an RBI, and two runs scored.
Game 2 | Corban 5, C of I 2
Not willing to bend to the Yotes' will in the doubleheader evening contest, the Dubs scored the first five runs of the contest and sophomore right-hander Brady Sprague didn't allow a run until the sixth inning, eventually picking up his first winning decision of the year after the three-man Warrior wrecking crew of a bullpen stopped any further damage following the seventh frame. Rickard entered to pick up the save in the ninth, which was his first of the year as well.
Sprague tallied up six strikeouts while walking just two C of I batters, with his counterpart in right-hander Zaylor Bruegeman surrendering all five of the earned runs in his first two innings to cap off his first loss of the season. The remaining four arms in the Yotes' pen allowed a combined two hits to Corban, but the damage had already been done.
Shaffer and senior centerfielder Chase Elliott each barreled a pair of hits across game two atop Harris' lineup card, with Rickard earning the respect of the Yotes following a productive first contest by drawing three walks in the Friday finale.
Only one C of I student-athlete secured a multi-hit outing in game two, as third baseman Caden Casagrande was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
The Dubs and Yotes are back at it tomorrow morning with two more matchups on the calendar, with the 11am matchup representing the final CCC counting contest of the series, while the 2pm finale will just serve as a non-conference result.
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