VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Gino Casini’s three-run double helped the Lewis-Clark State College baseball team snap out of its recent offensive funk and Tyrell Poggemeyer pitched 7.2 innings of scoreless ball to help the Warriors end a three-game losing streak with a 7-2 NAIA West triumph over the University of British Columbia on Monday.
The win lifts LCSC to 12-5 overall and 4-4 in NAIA West play while UBC suffered its first league loss to fall to 12-6 overall and 8-1 in league.
The two teams were originally scheduled to play a four-game series that ended Sunday, but wet weather allowed the teams to only get three games in. The other contest will likely be made up in Lewiston when UBC visits in mid April.
The Warriors scored only three runs in the previous 18 innings against UBC, losing a doubleheader on Saturday 3-1 and 8-2. However, on Monday the Warrior scored at least one run in each of the first four innings and then rode Poggemeyer to win the win.
Casini provided the big blow in the fourth inning. With LCSC ahead 4-2, the Warriors loaded the bases when Kevin Lovelace doubled and went to third on a single by Brian Gaylord. Braxton Miller then walked to load the bases with no outs. After a force out at home on a ground ball, Casini smacked a three-run double to left-center field for a 7-2 advantage.
That was more than enough for Poggemeyer, a senior right-hander from Lowell, Ore. Making his fourth appearance of the season, Poggemeyer’s 7.2 innings was the longest stretch by a Warrior pitcher this season. He allowed five hits and three walks with three strikeouts to improve to 2-1 on the season. Poggemeyer also lowered his ERA to 1.31.
Both teams scored single runs in the first two innings as neither starting pitcher made it to through the second. LCSC starter Tyler Barrett allowed out hits and two runs in 1.1 innings, while Brandon Kay also went 1.1 innings and allowed one hit, two runs, and three walks.
LCSC went ahead 1-0 in the top of the first when an error and two walks loaded the bases. After a grounder forced a runner out at home, Trent Bridges walked to force in a run.
UBC tied it in the bottom of the first when Greg Densem hit a one-out double and scored on a two-out single by Kevin Nickel.
LCSC regained the lead in the top of the second when Cody Weiss was hit by a pitch and went to third on a one-out double by Connor Moore. Lovelace then grounded out to short to score Weiss.
UBC used a hit batter and a single by Andrew Firth to set up a one-out RBI single by Matt Spillman, which ended the day for Barrett.
The Warriors took the lead for good with two runs in the third inning. Casini reached on a fielder’s choice and Weiss drew a two-out walk. Aaron DeGuire doubled down the left-field line to score Casini and Weiss also scored on the play on a throwing error by the UBC third baseman.
Both teams left 10 baserunners stranded.
Connor Moore and DeGuire had two hits apiece for LCSC, while Spillman had two for UBC.
The Warriors return to action on Tuesday for a non-league tilt against St. Martin’s University in Lacey, Wash., starting at 3 p.m. The Saints are 7-10 on the season and lost to LCSC 5-0 in a tournament at Lewiston last month.
