CALDWELL, Idaho – The No. 4-ranked Lewis-Clark State Warriors recorded their 27
th victory of the season, defeating the College of Idaho 9-2 Friday afternoon in the first of a four-game NAIA West series.
Coming off a loss to British Columbia in their last game, the Warriors (27-7, 17-3 NAIA West) scored early against their in-state rivals, and now have won all five meetings between the two teams this season, and ten in-a-row against the Coyotes. LC, 5-4 on the road, is in the middle of 18 consecutive road games.
The Warriors jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning.
Makana Victorine was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, to start the scoring.
Darren Trainor then cleared the bases with a three-run double.
Riley Way knocked in the final run of the inning with a single up the middle that scored Trainor.
LC made it 6-0 in the second inning on
Kyle Callahan's RBI single, and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Victorine in the sixth inning put LC up 7-0.
After surrendering a Coyote run in the sixth, Victorine picked up his second bases loaded RBI, this time on a walk.
Cory Voss added an RBI ground out, and LC led 9-1 after seven.
Lewis-Clark State got a strong pitching performance from junior pitcher
Lalo Porras. In just his third appearance of the year, and first start, Porras did not allow a hit in his four-inning pitching stint. He walked two, and struck out four.
Matt Becker (3-0) picked up the victory, going two innings in relief, allowing one Coyote run, and five hits.
The Coyotes loaded the bases in the seventh against Becker, but senior
Tanner Simpson came in relief, and got out of the jam, inducing an inning-ending double play. Simpson pitched the final three innings, allowing only a ninth inning run, and three hits. He picked up his first save of the year.
Kasey Bailey led the Warriors with three hits, and scored two runs. Victorine finished with three RBI. The Warriors collected 11 hits off of four Coyote pitchers. College of Idaho (10-31, 3-22 NAIA West) dropped its 12
th straight game of the season.
The two teams meet again in a doubleheader tomorrow, beginning at noon.