Results from the first day of the NAIA West tournament at Hilken Community Stadium, Portland, OR, May 2:
College of Idaho 7, Concordia-Portland 5: A game that was close all the way, but the Coyotes scored runs in each of the last three innings to win it. RF Isaac Garsez scored the winning run in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly by 1B Jesse Dodd. Garsez was 3-for-6 with a home run, an RBI, and two runs scored.
Starter Chad Yeggy went eight innings for the Coyotes. He gave up three runs (one of them unearned) in the first two innings, but gave up only one more the rest of the way. He gave up two hits at the start of the ninth inning, but Todd Griffiths moved from second base to the mound and got a double play ball and a line drive to the shortstop to finish the game with only one run coming in.
Jason Snodgrass, who allowed 13 hits, got the loss for the Cavaliers. 2B Mike Dickman went 2-for-4 for the Cavaliers.
Menlo 2, British Columbia 1: Oaks ace Joey Webb pitched a gem. He went the distance, held the Thunderbirds to one run on six hits, walked one, and struck out three. He threw 139 pitches.
The Oaks opened the scoring in the first inning, on and RBI single by 3B Michael Brandi. There wasn't any more scoring until the Oaks increased their lead to 2-0 with an RBI single by RF Collin Forgey in the seventh inning. The Thunderbirds got double plays in the second and third innings, and Thunderbird starter David Otterman picked off a baserunner at first to prevent further damage in the seventh. RF Sebastian Wong opened the sixth inning for the THunderbirds with a triple, and was stranded. The Thunderbirds had baserunners at second and third with one out in the seventh inning, with singles by 2B Andrew Firth and LF Nick Senior, but Firth was tagged out at home on a ground ball by 3B Mike Hole, and DH Gabe Mark grounded out to end the inning.
The Thunderbirds finally got on the board in the eighth inning. Wong opened the inning with a single, and advanced to third on ground outs by C Brody Hawkins and CF Blake Carruthers. He was batted in by Firth. However, the inning ended with runners stranded at first and third.
Senior opened the ninth inning with a line drive to right field, but 2B C.J. Dailey made a very good grab to rob Senior of a hit. Two more ground balls, and the game was over.
Otterman, a lefthander who attracted at least five pro scouts, went seven innings, gave up five hits, struck out five, but walked six. Wong was 2-for-3 for the game, and Firth was 2-for-4. SS Coleman Cox went 3-for-4 for the Oaks, but didn't figure in any of the scoring.
Schedule for Thursday, May 3: 9 AM: British Columbia vs. Corban (loser out)
noon: College of Idaho vs. Menlo
3 PM: Concordia-Portland vs. British Columbia/Corban winner
In other NAIA tournament news: Azusa Pacific defeated Fresno Pacific to stay alive in the Golden State Athletic Conference tournament. Defending champion Concordia-Irvine defeated The Master's. Embry-Riddle defeated South Carolina-Beafort in The Sun Conference tournament, so Embry-Riddle stays in and South Carolina-Beafort is out. Savannah College of Art and Design shut out Webber International; they are 2-0 in the tournament, and their soon-to-be-extinct program will get at least two more games. #10 Point Park got an 18-4 win over Fisher to stay alive in an Unaffiliated Group tournament in Kinston, NC.