CALDWELL, ID - A 10-6 comeback victory by the no. 17 College of Idaho Coyotes (35-11, 25-5) in the second half of an NAIA West doubleheader over the no. 3 ranked UBC Thunderbirds (35-10, 26-4) gave the hosts from Caldwell, ID a daily sweep and cut the T-Birds lead for first in the conference to one game.
The two teams meet again for a pair of games on Sunday with UBC needing one win to clinch first place in the conference and the right to host the regional qualifying tournament next weekend.
After opening today's twinbill with a 10-7 victory, the Coyotes touched up UBC reliever Dan Britton-Foster in game two for five runs (only two earned) in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead for good.
Kyle Douglas launched a two-run home run with no outs to put the hosts in front 7-6 before Idaho added three unearned insurance runs as a fielding error by the T-Birds kept the inning alive.
UBC jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second before blowing open the game with four runs in the fourth.
Bob Foerster led the inning off with a triple before getting cashed in on a sacrifice fly.
Andrew Firth added a two-out solo home run before
Nic Lendvoy went deep with one on to put the T-Birds up 6-1.
The 'Yotes responded with four runs in the bottom half the inning off UBC starter
Sheldon McDonald, which spelled the end of his day.
McDonald went four innings giving up six hits and five runs (four earned) with eight strikeouts while Britton-Foster conceded five hits and five runs (two earned) in just one inning.
David Otterman came into finish the game.
It was the second sub-par outing from a UBC starter.
Eric Brown (7-1) was saddled with his first loss of the season in game one, giving up 12 hits and eight runs (all earned) over 4.2 innings.
UBC overcame a slow start with three runs in third to take a 3-2 lead, however, the 'Yotes outscored UBC 6-1 over the middle three innings to put away the win.
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