CALDWELL, Idaho – For the first time since 2006, Eastern Oregon University Baseball has picked up a win. The Mountaineers started conference play Saturday on the road taking on College of Idaho and split the series 1-1. EOU picked up a 2-0 win in the second contest to earn their first win of the 2021 season.
 
Game 1 – College of Idaho 17, Eastern Oregon 7 (7 Innings)
How it Happened
• The Yotes (10-11, 2-4 CCC) totaled 14 hits in the first game and had a pair of six run-innings to secure the win in seven frames. EOU kept things close through five innings, before allowing 10 runs combined in the sixth and seventh to fall by 10.
• Trevor Curl plated home the first run for EOU to give them a 1-0 lead to start the game. He hit a single through the right side to Carsten Manderbach for the run. Manderbach managed to get on base thanks to a C of I error with two outs which made his run unearned.
• EOU held the Yotes scoreless after one to lead by one, but was unable to build upon its lead in the second. The Mountaineers managed just one hit before the Yotes went back out on offense. C of I then scored six unanswered to grab a 6-1 lead after two innings of work.
• Three hits were all it took for the Yotes to get the six runs in. They also had help with well-timed stolen bases and a pair of wild pitches allowed runners to advance and score. The Yotes surge helped as they held that lead until the fourth inning.
• Eastern managed to snap a two-inning drought with a run in the top of the fourth. Payton Hamilton was walked to leadoff the frame and made it to third on a single from Garrett Beckman down the right field line. He eventually scored thanks to an RBI groundout from Kyle Lund and made it a 6-2 game.
• C of I got the run back in the bottom of the fourth as a fielding error got a runner on with two outs. A single to left field allowed the unearned run to come in and gave the Yotes a five-run lead yet again at 7-2. EOU responded in the fifth scoring two runs to cut its deficit to three.
• Brooks Dyer was hit by pitch on the one-out at bat to get on base and was immediately to score on a double to right center field from Manderbach. He made it home on a Trevor Curl RBI base hit to first that made it a 7-4 game. EOU gave up just one hit in the bottom of the frame to keep the score at 7-4.
• In the top of the sixth, EOU got its first two runners on by a hit by pitch and double, respectively. Lund then grounded out to second base to allow Beckman to come in for the score. The Yotes managed to give up just one run as their lead was cut to two runs, 7-5.
• C of I answered in a big way in the bottom of the sixth as they plated home six runs on six hits and got help with a pair of Mountaineer errors. Two doubles in the first three at bats made it a 9-5 game, before back-t0-back singles and a throwing error made it 11-7. The Yotes then added two more runs before EOU ended the frame.
• Trailing 13-5, EOU looked to keep some momentum going on offense and tacked on two runs in the seventh to cut the score to 13-7. Dyer was again hit by pitch to get on base While Manderbach was walked. Both made it home after a wild pitch advanced both and a throwing error by the Yotes allowed both to score.
• Four runs in the bottom of the seventh by C of I ended the game early via a run rule. Two hits and a walk in the first three at bats positioned runners and ultimately scored two to make it 15-7. A pair of bases loaded walks scored the final two runs for the Yotes to end the game early.
 
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
• Trevor Curl finished 2-4 with three RBI to lead EOU.
• Carsten Manderbach led the way in runs scored with three and went 1-3 at the plate with an RBI.
• Garrett Beckman was 1-3 with a run scored.
• Elliott Marks and Kyle lund each had an RBI.
• Brooks Dyers scored a pair of runs in the contest.
• On the bump, Austin Brown had four strikeouts to lead EOU. Kolbe Bales suffered the loss to go to 1-1.
 
For the Yotes
• Weston Miller was 3-5 at the plate and had four RBI and scored one run to lead C of I.
• Carter Viera went 2-6 with two RBI and one run scored.
• Matthew Clay scored a game-high four runs and hit 1-3 with an RBI.
• Dimick Woo pitched six complete innings in the win to improve to 1-2. He finished with a game best six strikeouts.
 
Game 2 – Eastern Oregon 2, College of Idaho 1
How it Happened
• Game two of the day was a complete opposite from game one. This time it was the defense that shined as EOU won 2-0. Helping secure the win was the arm of Nick Jennings who threw a complete game and allowed just five hits in 136 pitches.
• EOU had the slight edge in hits 6-5, while both teams had one error for the contest. The Mountaineers' two runs came at separate times as they tacked on a run in the third and eighth to hold off C of I.
• Of the five hits surrendered by Jennings, two came in the bottom of the first. After starting off the contest with a 1-2-3 outing, C of I looked to score early but defense by the Mounties left both runners stranded.
• Jennings got it his first 1-2-3 frame under his belt in the second inning. His quick work of the lineup allowed EOU to get out in the third and plate the game's first run home. Easton Watterson was walked after the Yotes got two quick outs and Brooks Dyer brought him in with an RBI double to right center to give EOU a 1-0 edge.
• It was a pitcher's duel in the first five innings as Erik Wisenor and Jennings went pitch-for-pitch through the first five innings. Jennings had the edge with the help of a run scored by his teammates. Through five innings Jennings had allowed just four hits, while Wisenor had given up just two.
• Wisenor was pulled in the sixth after hitting the leadoff batter, walking the second batter and allowing a hit by the third to load the bases. The Yotes managed to escape the jam though and held the Mounties to the 1-0 lead.
• Eastern once again threatened in the top of the seventh with a pair of base hits and had help from a Yotes with no outs. Once again, C of I was able to escape the jam as EOU still clung to a 1-0 lead. Jennings held the Yotes bats at bay in the bottom of the seventh going three up, three down to end the frame.
• The second and final run for the Mountaineers came in the eighth. Carsten Manderbach led off with a base hit and immediately stole second. Trevor Curl advanced him to third on a ground out before an RBI sacrifice fly from Tristan Fergus brought him home. With the 2-0 lead, Jennings and the defense took care of the rest.
• The final hit for the Yotes was in the ninth on a two-out double to left center, but Jennings struck out the final batter on a swing and a miss to finish his first complete game in an EOU uniform and give the Mounties the hard fought win.
 
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
• Nick Jennings pitched a complete game and struck out 10 batters to go to 1-0. He threw 136 pitches in the win and had seven force outs as well.
• Brooks Dyer went 1-3 and had an RBI.
• Carsten Manderbach was also 1-3 with a run scored.
• Four Mounties tallied a hit in Trevor Curl, Kyle Lund, Elliott Marks, and Garrett Beckman.
• Tristan Fergus had the only other RBI for EOU, while Easton Watterson scored a run.
 
For the Yotes
• Matthew Clay was 2-4 to lead C of I.
• Carter Viera, Austin Van Horne and Dillon Danner each had one hit.
• Erik Wisenor suffered the loss on the bump to fall to 0-1. He had six strikeouts in five innings pitched.
By the Numbers
5,424 – Before the win on Saturday, 5, 424 days had passed since EOU last won a game which equates to 14 years, 10 months and four days.
136 – Nick Jennings threw 136 pitches in nine innings to secure the win for EOU.
15 – The Mounties totaled 15 strikeouts in two games against C of I on Saturday, with 10 coming from Nick Jennings.
1 – With the win on Saturday, it is the first career win for Head Coach Michael McInerney at EOU.
6 – Eastern had six hits in each of its games against the Yotes.
 
Up Next
• The Mountaineers and Yotes will play another doubleheader tomorrow (Sunday). Game times are set for 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. PT.

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