LEWISTON, Idaho – The No. 4 LC State Baseball team pushed its record to 10-1 with a quick sweep of NCAA Division III Whitworth to open a three-game set on Saturday. The Warriors ended both games early via the run rule, with game one wrapping up in seven innings (16-2), and game two in eight (11-1).
Eric Chavarria put together another strong start in the first contest of the day, and the offense provided 17 hits. The scoring started late in the second game behind solid pitching performances from
Dawson Day and
Cameron Smith.
"Chavarria didn't have his best stuff, but he competed for us and made pitches when he had to," Head Coach
Jake Taylor said. "Offensively, we had a lot of production with two outs. Dawson was effective in his start. He held down the Whitworth offense, and Cam came in and pounded the zone with multiple pitches and continues to pitch with confidence. Offensively, we were off to a slow start against a quality arm. We were able to group runs late in the game and put it out of reach."
GAME ONE: LC State def. Whitworth 16-2 (7 Inn.)
Whitworth capitalized on an LC error to jump in front in the top of the second, but the Warriors responded with two runs in the home half of the inning.
Matt James got the momentum going for LC State with a two-out double to center.
Nick Seamons put the Warriors in the lead with a two-run shot deep into the left field bleachers, and
Dominic Signorelli added on with a solo home run to lead off the third.
Chavarria fanned a pair in the top of the fourth to keep the Pirate bats at bay after a leadoff double.
Luke White kept the power coming for LC with a home run to left to push the lead to 4-1.
LC State added three runs on three hits in the bottom of the fifth.
Riley Way doubled to open the frame before
A.J. Davis was hit by a pitch. Both advanced on a groundout and Way scored on a wild pitch. A base hit through the left side by
Sam Linscott plated a run, and Linscott came across on another double by James to bring the score to 7-1.
The Pirates cut into the LC lead with a solo shot in the top of the sixth, but the Warriors got the run back and more in bottom of the inning, all with two outs. Way singled and Davis walked before a wild pitch brought in Way.
Aidan Nagle walked and Davis scored on a double by Linscott, then two more came in on a single by White.
The inning continued with James' third double of the day to knock in a run, and courtesy runner
Coy Stout scored on an RBI-hit by
Zach Threlfall to make it 13-2. Way drove in a pair with a single, and by the time the inning was over the Warriors had scored nine runs.
Alec Holmes closed out the game on the mound with a strikeout.
The Warrior offense exploded for 17 hits, led by four from Way. James tallied three doubles, and Linscott, White, Threlfall and Signorelli each had two hits. White drove in three runs, and Way, Linscott, James and Seamons each knocked in two.
Chavarria had a strong outing on the mound, tossing six innings with six punchouts. He walked one and gave up one earned run.
GAME TWO: LC State def. Whitworth 11-1 (8 Inn.)
Day put together a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout in the top of the second, and LC took advantage of the quick inning in the home half. Linscott and White walked to start the inning, and both came on a single by Threlfall to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead.
A three-run fourth inning pushed the score to 5-0. Linscott singled up the middle and White walked to put two on for a three-run blast by Threlfall. Whitworth put up a run in the fifth for its first tally of the contest.
Nagle smashed a ball over the wall in right to add a pair in the home half of the seventh. Way walked to put a runner on before Nagle's blast made it 7-1.
Charlie Updegrave notched his first hit in a Warrior uniform with an RBI-double in the eighth. White led off the inning with a single before scoring on the hit, and Updegrave scored on a base hit by Seamons.
Coy Stout drove in a run, and Way knocked in courtesy runner
Joe Canty to end the game via the run rule.
Threlfall led the offense in game two with three hits and five RBI. Linscott added two hits to his day, along with two stolen bases. Seamons also swiped two bags and Way stole once. Day earned the victory after striking out five in five innings. Smith fanned three in 2.2 innings before Blackman recorded the final out.
The Warriors wrap up the series with Whitworth on Sunday at 11 a.m.
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