LEWISTON, ID – Senior Bryce Johnson wasted little time making his presence known in the lineup for No. 21 LC State Baseball during Saturday’s season opener. His big day at the plate helped the Warriors to a doubleheader sweep of NCAA Division III Whitworth by scores of 15-5 and 4-1, both in seven innings.
The senior outfielder went a combined 4-for-7 with six RBI and three runs scored. The Warriors totaled 13 hits in game one before battling back for a late four-run inning in game two.
GAME ONE: No. 21 LC State def. Whitworth 15-5 (7 innings)
Evan Canfield struck out four batters in his first two innings of work, but the Pirate bats came alive with three runs on four hits to take the lead in the top of the third.
LC State answered quickly with a three-spot of its own in the home half of the frame. Spencer Zeller walked and Brandon Nguyen was hit by a pitch before a base hit by Sam Weber loaded the bases. Izzy Madariaga grounded out to plate a run, and Johnson stepped to the plate next and tied the game with one swing. His first home run as a Warrior and the first LC State big fly of the season knotted the score 3-3 through three.
After a run by Whitworth in the top of the fourth off reliever Jackson Cloud, LC State added on in the bottom of the inning with a two-out rally. Zane Bidwell was hit by a pitch and stole second and Zeller walked. Nguyen retied the game with an RBI single before a double steal brought Zeller across. Weber and Madariaga earned free passes and Johnson delivered again with a bases-clearing double down the left-field line. Ryan Prescott singled to drive in a run and put the Warriors up 9-4.
An unearned run grew the margin to 10-4 in the fifth and Madariaga drilled a solo shot off the LC State Tennis Center in the sixth for an 11-4 advantage.
Joseph Perez took over on the mound in the seventh and gave up a run on two hits and an error, but the Warriors didn’t let the contest extend past the seventh inning with a four-run frame.
Bulla Ephan led off with a double and Bo Stinson took over on the bases, and Anthony Karagiannopoulos walked. Bidwell and Zeller tallied back-to-back singles to drive in one and a fielder’s choice brought in another. Madariaga punched a single to right field for an RBI and an error plated the game-ending run with the run rule.
STAT RECAP
Johnson led the contest with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate and five RBI. Madariaga went 2-for-4 with two runs driven in and Zeller scored three runs. Weber and Zeller each had two hits. Six different Warriors scored at least two runs.
Canfield tossed three innings with six strikeouts and one walk, and Cloud earned the win with three punchouts in three frames. He allowed one run on one hit. Perez closed things out with one strikeout in his inning.
GAME TWO: No. 21 LC State def. Whitworth 4-1 (7 innings)
The second game of the day, scheduled for seven innings, was a pitcher’s duel to start. Starter Landon Webb worked three scoreless innings before a run on two hits put Whitworth in front in the fourth.
Levi Anderson held the Pirates off the board in the fifth and Jace Taylor worked a 1-2-3 sixth.
The Warriors took over offensively in the bottom of the sixth after five straight singles by Stinson, Madariaga, Johnson, Kason O’Neil and Kooper Jones put LC State in front 3-1. A sacrifice fly by Prescott plated the fourth run of the frame.
Taylor struck out the final batter of the contest in a quick top of the seventh.
STAT RECAP
Jones led the Warriors with two hits in the game with one RBI.
Taylor earned the win on the mound with two strikeouts in two innings. He gave up one hit with no walks and no runs. Webb tossed four frames with three strikeouts and Anderson fanned one in one inning. LC State did not walk a batter in the contest.
