CALDWELL – A seven-run ninth inning solidified the victory in LC State’s opening contest against in-state rival College of Idaho on Friday. The Warriors opened the four-game non-conference series with a 15-6 win against the Yotes in Caldwell. Jake Gish made his debut in a Warrior uniform in a big way with three hits, including two home runs, three RBI and three runs scored.
C of I starter Nick Eliason had Warrior hitters puzzled until LC State gained momentum in the seventh inning.
“Started slow today, but Eliason had a lot to do with that,” Head Coach Jake Taylor said. “He was locating his fastball and kept us off balance through the duration of his outing. We started to gain momentum when Cam (Smith) came in from the pen and our offense showed signs of life.”
The win moves LC State to 4-1 overall on the young season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
C of I struck first with a run in the bottom of the first. The Yotes tallied two hits and an error allowed the run to come across unearned. Another pair of hits brought in a second C of I run to make it 2-0 Yotes through two.
The Warriors got on the board in the top of the fourth to cut into the C of I lead. Carter Booth drew a walk to lead off the frame and Charlie Updegrave doubled to put both in scoring position. Gish collected his first RBI as a Warrior with a sacrifice fly to plate Booth make it a 2-1 game.
Defensive miscues by the Warriors led to a run for C of I in the bottom of the fourth, but LC got it back in the top of the fifth. Brandon Cabrera doubled to left center and took third on a groundout by Ike George. A wild pitch brought in the run to cut the deficit to 3-2.
The Yotes continued to add on with a run in the fifth as the in-state rivals traded runs. LC matched the run with a solo shot by Gish to make it 4-3 C of I in the sixth.
Cameron Smith took over on the mound for Drake George in the home half of the sixth and did not allow a hit in the frame.
The Warriors broke the game open in the top of the seventh with four runs. Jakob Marquez led off the frame with a walk after working the count full and Alex Sol took over on the bases. Cabrera singled and Ike George reached on an error that scored a pair of runs. Booth followed with an RBI-triple and Nick Seamons made it 7-4 with a sacrifice fly.
Smith struck out a pair in the bottom of the seventh to keep the lead intact.
LC State manufactured a run in the eighth after back-to-back singles by Gish and Pu’ukani De Sa got the inning going. With Gish on third, Marquez forced a drop-third strike play to plate a run and make it 8-4.
Seamons legged out an infield single and took second on an error to open action in the top of the ninth. A base hit by Updegrave plated Seamons, and Dominic Signorelli and Gish smashed back-to-back homers to make it 12-4. The inning continued with De Sa and Cabrera reaching on a hit-by-pitch and Booth doubled to knock in both.
The Warriors went to the bench after batting around and Evan Overmars sent an RBI-single through the left side to give LC State a commanding 15-4 advantage.
C of I scratched two runs across in the ninth before Smith closed the door to earn his first win of the season. He struck out five in his four innings. Drake George fanned four in five frames in his start.
Gish led the potent offense with three RBI with his two home runs. Signorelli launched his fourth homer of the season for his two RBI. Cabrera also tallied three hits and Booth drove in three runs. Booth, Gish and Cabrera each scored three times.
UP NEXT
The Warriors continue the series with College of Idaho on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. PT.
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