Wyatt ties Warrior record with eight RBI in 22-8 win

  4-2-07

LEWISTON, Idaho – Junior center-fielder Brent Wyatt tied a Lewis-Clark State College record by driving in eight runs to help the NAIA’s top-ranked team roll past California Baptist University 22-8 in a nonleague contest at LCSC’s Harris Field on Monday night. 

Wyatt’s performance overshadowed Cal Baptist right-fielder Aaron Seuss, who hit three home runs and drove in five runs.
(Brent Wyatt congratulated after his bases clearing grand-slam in the first inning)  

The Warriors, 27-2 after winning their eighth straight contest, batted around in the first and second innings, sending 15 and 11 batters to the plate, respectively. LCSC scored nine runs in the first, six in second, and took an 18-1 lead after three innings. 

California Baptist, 24-14, had a four-game win streak snapped as the Warriors pounded out 21 hits in the game. Four CBU pitchers combined to walk 11, hit three batters and throw 246 pitches in the game, which was played in cool conditions with the temperatures only in the high 30s. 

Wyatt became the fourth Warrior player to drive in eight runs in a game, but the first to do so since 1984. Dave Del Rio and Bill Stevenson both had eight RBI in 1984, while Allen Peterson had eight RBI in 1983 during an NAIA World Series contest. 

Wyatt, hitting second in the Warrior line, actually flew out to left in his first at-bat, but then hit a grand-slam home run in his second trip to the plate in the first inning to complete LCSC’s nine-run outburst. Wyatt then hit a two-run double in the second and a two-run home run in the third. He popped out to short in the fourth and struck out in the sixth before being replaced. 

Wyatt, who had 21 RBI and three home runs entering the game, now stands second on the team in home runs and third in RBI. He finished the game 3-for-6 with three runs scored and raised his season batting average to .322. 

Teammate Kyle Greene, a junior first baseman, also had a strong night at the plate. He went 4-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored. Paul Martin went 3-for-6 with three RBI, while Beau Mills was 2-for-5 with three runs scored. Mark Thompson was just 1-for-4, but scored three times and had two RBI. 

Chris Kissock (7-0), who had 20-plus minute waits in the dugout while the Warriors batted in the first two innings, only went four innings and gave up eight hits and five runs. Brian Bird pitched the final five innings and gave up five hits and three runs, but struck out nine. 

Cal Baptist starter Bobby Kelly (1-2) only lasted two-thirds of an inning and was touched for seven runs on four hits, two walks, and a hit batter. Kyle Tye only made it one-third of an inning and also allowed seven runs on six hits and two walks.  Eric Anderson and Brad Simmons also gave up four runs in their appearances. All but one LCSC run was earned. 

Seuss, who has 15 home runs on the season, was the lone bright spot for CBU. He hit solo home runs in the second and fourth innings off Kissock, and then a three-run blast off of Bird in the seventh. He struck out and then hit into a fielder’s choice in his last at bat. 

The two teams square off again Tuesday night at 6 p.m., and conclude the three-game series on Wednesday, also at 6 p.m.