LEWISTON, ID– Jackson Jaha needed a single in his final at bat to hit for the cycle, but instead blasted his second home run of the game in No. 7 LC State’s 9-4 victory over the College of Idaho on Friday. Warrior pitching combined for 11 strikeouts between starter Evan Canfield and reliever Jordan Lennartson to open the four-game Cascade Conference series.
The victory has the LC State record at 23-3 on the season and 15-3 in CCC play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
LC State put up a three spot in the bottom of the first inning with three hits to back up starter Evan Canfield on the mound. Brandon Nguyen singled on the first pitch of his at bat and Jaha stayed hot at the plate with a two-run home run for a quick lead. Izzy Madariaga notched the third straight hit of the game with a single to right before eventually scoring on a wild pitch.
A pair of Warrior errors brought in a run for the Yotes in the top of the third, but LC State answered with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Sam Weber led off the frame with a base hit to left and Bulla Ephan made it 5-1 with a two-run home run into the left field bleachers.
Caden Casagrande hit a two-run shot in the top of the sixth to chip away at the Warrior lead and Nguyen matched it in the next half inning. Payton Smith notched a two-out single and stole second before the blast by Nguyen for a 7-3 advantage through six.
Jordan Lennartson took over on the mound in the top of the seventh inning in relief of Canfield and worked around a leadoff double for a scoreless frame.
Jaha smashed his second two-run home run of the contest in the home half of the eighth, again with Nguyen on base, to push the lead to 9-3. After a C of I run in the top of the ninth, a double play by the LC State defense ended the game.
STAT RECAP
Jaha led the contest with a 4-for-5 day at the plate and four RBI. He was a single shy of the cycle with a double, triple and two home runs. Nguyen went 3-for-5 with two RBI and three runs scored.
The Warriors tallied double-digit hits for the 20th time this season to hand College of Idaho’s Jackson Cummins his first loss of the season.
Canfield earned his fifth win of the season on the mound after eight strikeouts in six innings. Lennartson was awarded a three-inning save for his third of the year. He fanned three in three innings without a walk.
