LEWISTON, Idaho – The Lewis-Clark State College baseball team picked up two more NAIA West division victories by sweeping a doubleheader with Patten University on Saturday. The Warriors surged late in both games and took the first 17-0 and the second 7-4.With the wins, LCSC, ranked No. 10 in the NAIA, improves to 36-10 overall and remains in first place with a league record of 24-6. The team is now on a five-game win streak and has won 10 of its last 11 games.
The first game on Saturday was a pitchers’ duel between Anthony Armanino and Isaac Duran until the Warriors exploded for 17 runs in their final three at bats.
LCSC broke the silence against Duran when they opened the sixth inning with three consecutive hits and scored three runs. This rally seemed to open the door for the Warriors’ offensive as they went on to score nine runs in the seventh inning and five in the eighth.
The seventh-inning rally was highlighted by a three-run home run to right center by Kyle Knigge, his fourth bomb of the year. The big hit in the eighth inning was a three-run double to right center by Jordan Payne.
The red hot Payne, who went 3-for-5 with five RBI on Friday, finished 4-for-6 with five RBI in the first game on Saturday to lead LCSC to a 13-4 advantage in hits.
Armanino threw seven scoreless innings with three hits and a walk to improve to 8-1. He struck out three. Terik Gofinch pitched the final two frames and kept the shutout intact by allowing just one hit and striking out three.
The second game stayed close in the early goings until Patten took a 3-1 lead in the fifth and the Warriors responded with six runs in their next three at bats.
Connor Moore keyed a three-run effort in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run triple and this made the score 4-3 in LC’s favor. The Lions tied it up with the help of a Warrior error in the sixth, but a Knigge double followed by an RBI single by Sal Arena put the Warriors back on top in the bottom of the inning.
In the seventh, LCSC added two more runs for good measure via an RBI double by Eric Peterson and an RBI single by Billy Silvestri.
The Warriors outhit Patten, which is now 12-25 and 8-18, 9-2 in the second game. Both teams committed three errors.
Austin Pentecost earned the win as he went seven innings surrendering four runs (all earned) and two hits. He struck out five and is now 6-3 overall. Zach Clanton struck out one and held the Lions scoreless over the final two frames to earn his second save.
Jason Kellar turned in a gutsy outing for Patten as he threw eight innings and walked just one.
The Warriors have now won at least 35 games every year since 1975 when head coach Ramon Hooker’s team went 35-16. Last season they finished with a record of 38-17.
The four-game series wraps up with a 1 p.m. game on Sunday. Sunday is Boys and Girls Club Day and all Club members receive free admission.
