CALDWELL, Idaho – The Warriors stretched their NAIA-leading winning streak to 18 games with a 12-4 victory over College of Idaho to begin the weekend. No. 3 LC State (24-1) tallied 16 hits in the contest, led by four from
Justin Mazzone. The series does not count towards the Cascade Conference record.
"We really started fast with some great at bats with two outs and gave Trent (Sellers) a cushion," Head Coach
Jake Taylor said. "We still need to improve in our consistency of applying pressure throughout the entire game."
The Warriors came out hot with a four-run first inning, with all runs coming in with two outs.
Riley Way opened the game with an infield-single before stealing second, then scored on a base hit by
Sam Linscott.
Luke White destroyed a ball over the wall in left to make it 3-0, and back-to-back doubles by
Matt James and Mazzone capped the inning.
White made an impressive diving catch in foul territory in the home half of the inning before a strikeout by
Trent Sellers ended the frame.
Zach Threlfall wore a pitch to start the second and was lifted for courtesy runner
Charlie Updegrave, and a hit by
Aidan Nagle moved him to third. The Warriors grew the advantage to 5-0.
Sellers faced the minimum in the second thanks to a double play turned by
Coy Stout,
A.J. Davis and
Luke White that erased a leadoff single.
Mazzone scored the sixth run of the game after reaching on a single to right. He raced to third on a botched pick-off attempt, then came in when Stout sent a hit to left.
The LC starter fanned six more through the next three innings, but C of I tallied its first run in the fifth. The Warriors responded with one in the top of the sixth without a hit after Stout was hit by a pitch, stole second, and scored on two productive outs to bring the score to 7-1.
The Warriors handed the ball over to
Eli Shubert in the sixth, and the reliver did not allow a hit through his first two innings.
LC's offense surged for another three runs in the eighth. Stout walked to lead things off and back-to-back doubles by Way and Threlfall plated two. Linscott singled to drive in one more and make it 10-1.
The Yotes struck for one in the bottom of the inning, but two more LC runs put the game away in the ninth. James and Mazzone notched two straight hits to bring in a run, and a base hit by Stout brought in the Warriors' 12
th run. C of I put up two in the ninth, but the damage had been done by LC State.
Mazzone led the offense with four hits (4-for-5), and Linscott had three (3-for-5). Linscott drove in three runs while White, Mazzone and Stout each knocked in two. Stout reached base in all five of his at bats with two hits, two walks and a hit-by-pitch. The Warriors stole four bags (Way, Mazzone, Davis and Stout), and tallied six doubles.
Sellers earned his sixth win of the season after striking out seven in five innings. Shubert earned the four-inning save with three strikeouts and no walks.
The Warriors continue the series at C of I on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon PT.
Stay up to date with all things Warrior Athletics at lcwarriors.com and on social media @LCWarriors.
