LCSC sweeps doubleheader from Coyotes

4-8-08

Josh Ashenbrenner's bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 10th inning helped the Lewis-Clark State College baseball team snap a two-game losing streak with a 6-5 win over the College of Idaho in the first game of a doubleheader at LCSC's Harris Field on Tuesday.

In the second game, Brent Wyatt singled in a pair of runs and scored twice during an eight-run seventh inning to help the Warriors complete the sweep with a 13-6 triumph.

The victories lift the Warriors to 31-4 overall, while College of Idaho falls to 15-18. The two teams wrap up the three-game series with a 2 p.m. contest on Wednesday.

The sweep also gives LCSC an 8-1 record against the Coyotes this season.

LCSC, which lost twice to Dixie State in the bottom of the ninth inning over the weekend, never led in the Tuesday's opener until Ashenbrenner's game-winning hit, and then was behind for most of the second game before breaking a 5-5 tie in the seventh with its big inning.

In the opener, College of Idaho got to LCSC starter Blaine Hardy early as the first three batters reached base and scored. LCSC senior first baseman nullified the effort in the bottom of the inning when he smacked his team-leading 12th home run of the season, a three-run shot to right field.

The Coyotes scored a run in the top of the second, but LCSC again tied the score at 4 in the bottom of the third when Wyatt walked and Greene and Sean Halton followed with singles. An error on Halton's single allowed Wyatt to score.

College of Idaho's solo run in the top of the sixth again put it ahead 5-4, but the Warriors answered with a run in the bottom of the seventh when Wyatt doubled, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Paul Martin's sacrifice fly.

The Warriors threatened in the eighth, but left two baserunners stranded. College of Idaho only had two baserunners in the final three innings and one was thrown out trying to steal.

The Warriors got the winning run in the 10th when Sean Halton reached on an fielding error and went to third on a double by Brian Ward. After Christ Valencia was intentionally walked to set up a force out at home, Ashenbrenner singled to right field to end the game.

Greene, who has been hitting .570 since March 8, went 3-for-4 at the plate as did Martin. Wyatt went 2-for-4 but scored three runs. The trio, hitting in the top three spots in the lineup, combined to go 8-of-12 with four RBI and five runs scored.

Reliever Jeff Mace went 4.2 innings and allowed five hits with one walk and four strikeouts to earn the win. He is now 3-0 on the season.

In the second game, College of Idaho again got off to a good start with two runs in the top of the first on three hits, but the feat was matched by the Warriors in the bottom of the inning. After an error and a single by Greene, Bernard Pena had a sacrifice fly RBI and Ikaika Lester added an RBI single.

Ashenbrenner tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Wyatt in the second for a 3-2 lead and an RBI grounder by Lester made it 4-2 in the third. A sacrifice fly by Halton in the fifth made it 5-2.

College of Idaho picked up a run in the sixth and two in the seventh to tie the game, but then Warriors exploded for the big inning, using seven hits, a walk and a hit batter to do the damage. Wyatt started the rally with a single and Martin followed with a walk. Greene's RBI double brought in the first run, and Pena followed with a two-run double. Chris Valencia later added a sacrifice fly RBI, while a passed ball brought in another run. Wyatt added a two-run single, while Martin's RBI double finished the scoring.

Wyatt finished the game 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored, while Pena was 2-for-4 with three RBI. Greene went 2-for-5 with three runs scored, while Halton was 3-for-3 with an RBI.

Kevin Camacho, the second of three LCSC pitchers, picked up the win to go to 1-1 on the season.

Wyatt finished the two games 4-for-8 with five runs scored and four RBI, while Martin was 4-for-8 with three runs scored and two RBI. Greene finished 5-for-9 with four RBI and four runs scored.