LEWISTON, Idaho – Mike Rivera and Kyle Greene drove in three runs on the day and seven Lewis-Clark State College pitchers allowed just 10 hits over 18 innings as the Warriors won a pair of games to conclude the opening weekend of the season at LCSC’s Harris Field on Sunday. 

In the opener, Rivera hit a solo home run to back the strong pitching of Brad Schwarzenbach and Nick Masters to help the Warriors defeat College of Idaho 4-3. In the second game, Greene smacked a three-run home run and River added a two-run single in a seven-run seventh inning to propel the Warriors over Whitworth 10-2. Four LCSC pitchers combined on a four-hitter and allowed just one earned run. 

The sweep leaves LCSC at 3-1 on the season, while College of Idaho went 2-2 on the weekend after also defeating Whitworth 15-6 on Sunday. Whitworth finished the four-game two-day round-robin tourney with a 1-3 record. The Warriors weren’t scheduled to open the season until next weekend, but when bad weather posted a four-game series between Whitworth and College of Idaho at Caldwell scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, the LCSC coaching staff jumped at the opportunity to hold a three-team round-robin tourney. 

Against College of Idaho, the Warriors scored two runs in the fourth and another in the sixth to grab a 3-0 lead. Paul Martin hit a one-out single in the fourth and later scored on Ikaika Lester’s double. Kepa Wong then singled up the middle to score Lester. In the sixth, River greeted College of Idaho reliever Tim Bourner’s third pitch with a home run and a 3-0 Warrior lead. 

In the meantime, Schwarzenbach blanked the Yotes on three hits through five innings. He struck out five and walked three. In the sixth, he gave way to Michael Guerrero, who gave up three runs in the seventh as the Coyotes tied the game. Cody Brubaker’s two-run double put College of Idaho on the board and he later scored on an error. 

The Warriors picked up the winning run in the bottom of the seventh when Josh Ashenbrenner singled and went to third on an infield single by Kyle Melton. Chris Valencia then grounded into a double play, which allowed Ashenbrenner to score. 

Masters was flawless in his 2.1 innings of work. He faced the minimum seven batters and struck out three, which allowed the Lewiston junior to pick up his first win in a Warrior uniform. 

In the second contest, Whitworth jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI single by Chad Flett, but the Warriors tied the game in the bottom of the fourth when Sean Halton doubled and scored when Lester singled to center and the College of Idaho center-fielder committed an error. 

Whitworth took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth on a bases loaded walk to Mitch Ramsey, but the Warriors struck for two runs in the bottom of the inning. Ashenbrenner led off with a walk and went to third on a single by Brian Ward. Nic Benton’s bunt single scored Ashenbrenner, and a one-out walk to Brent Wyatt loaded the bases. Halton also drew a walk to force in a run. 

In the Warriors’ big inning, Wyatt reached on a fielder’s choice to drive in the first run, while Rivera added a two-run single with the bases loaded and Greene followed with his first blast of the season. Benton’s RBI single put the finishing touches on a seven-run, seven-hit seventh inning for LCSC. 

Benton finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBI, Halton was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Ward was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. 

LCSC starter Dustin Willis allowed two hits and two walks in his three innings of work, while Ryan Woods gave up two hits, two walks and an unearned run in three innings with five strikeouts. Matt Duryea pitched two hitless innings with two walks and five strikeouts, while Max Hibbs retired the side in order in the ninth with two strikeouts.  Woods wound up with the victory. 

The Warriors will next take part in the Regence BlueShield of Idaho Tournament on Friday-Sunday at Harris Field. Mayville State will join College of Idaho, Whitworth and LCSC for the tourney. Action starts at 11 a.m. on Friday with Mayville State and College of Idaho, followed by LCSC and College of Idaho at 2 p.m. Three games will be held on Saturday and two again on Sunday.