yote notes - edition 10

COMING UP: at Concordia (DH), Saturday, 2 p.m. (PT); at Concordia (DH), Sunday, 11 a.m. (PT)

LAST WEEK: vs. British Columbia (W 5-4, W 7-3, W 7-6, L 13-5), vs. Northwest Nazarene (W 11-4)

LIVE STATS/LIVE VIDEO:  All four games this weekend at Concordia will have Live Stats and Live Video available for fans unable to make the trek to Portland.  Live Stats can be accessed online at http://www.sidearmstats.com/cuportland/baseball/scoreboard.aspx, while the Live Video can be found at http://gocugo.nmtvsports.com.

GARSEZ NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Outfielder Izaac Garsez (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) was honored Monday as Red Lion-Cascade Conference Player of the Week, announced by the league office in La Grande, Ore. The seniorhelped the Coyotes to a series win over No. 20 ranked British Columbia - helping The C of I move into the top spot in the weekly NAIA West rankings. Garsez had at least one hit and scored at least one run in all four games of the series, including the go-ahead home run in the 5-4 win in Game 1, then tied Game 3 in the 11th inning with a two-run single.

BACK IN THE TOP-25: The C of I climbed into the regular-season Top-25 for the first time in two seasons, as the NAIA released its first Coaches' Poll of the 2012 season.  The Coyotes rose from a group of teams in the "Others Receiving Votes" category to No. 22 in the balloting. The C of I earned a No. 21 ranking in last season's preseason poll, but were last ranked during the regular-season in 2010, when they closed the year ranked No. 15.  The C of I received 153 voter points - just 10 points behind No. 20 Southern Poly (Ga.). Lee (Tenn.) is the No. 1 team in the NAIA, followed by Louisiana State-Shreveport, Oklahoma City, Embry-Riddle (Fla.), and Azusa Pacific (Calif.). Lewis-Clark State is ranked No. 15, while British Columbia received votes.

AGAINST THE TOP-25: A big key to the rise in the poll was a victory in the lone series this season with British Columbia, as the Yotes won 3-of-4 games.  The wins helped the team improve to 6-4 this year against teams ranked in the Top-25 – including two wins vs. No. 15 Lewis-Clark State and a win over preseason No. 17 Fresno Pacific.

WINNING THE NNU SERIES AGAIN: With an 11-4 win on Tuesday, the Coyotes won the season series against NNU, three games to one – extending its longest series win streak against any opponent.  From 1987-2007, The C of I won every series against the Crusaders (in 2003, the two teams split four games) – with NNU’s last series win coming in 1978, the year The C of I dropped their baseball program.

LEWIS EXTENDS HIT STREAK: Catcher Jarel Lewis (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS) continues to swing a hot bat, going 8-for-16 during the week, knocking in six runs.  More impressively, the junior extended his hitting streak to 14 games – the longest streak since Izaac Garsez recorded a hit in 16-straight games last season.  Lewis is halfway to the school record of 28, set by Dustin Garcia during the 2003 season.

WHO’S HOT: Along with Izaac Garsez and Jarel Lewis, both Jeffrey Harris (Caldwell, Idaho / Wenatchee Valley CC) and Tanner Hodges (Sisters, Ore. / Mount Hood CC) had big weekends.  Harris went 9-for-20 with three RBI from the No. 6 spot in the order, while Hodges moved into the clean-up spot and went 7-for-19 with his first collegiate homer and drove in 10.  The Yotes also got an impressive outing from Parker Vernon (Redmond, Ore. / Redmond HS), who took a shutout into the sixth inning Tuesday vs. Northwest Nazarene, picking up his first collegiate win.

LEAVING IDAHO?: For the Yotes, this weekend will mark their first trip outside of the Gem State since the first week of February.  In all, The C of I played 28-straight games in Idaho, going 21-7, including a 17-5 record at home.  The squad will have road trips to Portland, Oakland, and Salem to end the season, along with a pair of four-game weekend series.

ABOUT CONCORDIA: The C of I hits the road this weekend for a four-game series at Concordia - the first games the Coyotes have played in the Cavaliers (15-13, 8-8 NAIA West) new Hilken Community Stadium. CU is led offensively by third-baseman Mike Cero (.451 2 HR 23 RBI), first-baseman Sean Myrom (.235 3 HR 18 RBI), and outfielder Jared Young (.333 14 RBI), and on the mound by Larsen Kohler (4-2 3.02 ERA), Jason Snodgrass (5-1 3.83 ERA), and Mitch Ludtke (0-3 6.82 ERA).  The Yotes swept the season series from CU last year and lead the all-time series, 86-35.

NAIA WEST TEAM STATISTICS:: Batting Average – C of I .319, LC-State .309, UBC .296, Concordia .283, Corban .283, Simpson .278, OIT .264, Menlo .250, Patten .239; Earned Run Average – L-C State 3.39, UBC 3.73, C of I 3.73, CRB 4.85, OIT 5.20, Menlo 5.40, Patten 5.49,  CU 5.50, Simpson 7.00; Fielding Percentage – Menlo .964, UBC .963, CRB .961, C of I .960, OIT .958, Simpson .957, L-C State .957, Patten .954, CU .947.

NAIA WEST LEADERS: Four different Coyotes rank among the Top-3 in NAIA West statistical categories heading into the weekend.  Izaac Garsez leads the loop in hits (47), runs scored (40), and triples (5), ranking No. 2 in stolen bases (16) and No. 3 in batting average (.409), while Taylor Nicholson (Emmett, Idaho / Columbia Basin CC) leads the league in ERA (1.85).  Jarel Lewis is No. 2 in the NAIA West in batting average (.446) and doubles (13), ranking No. 3 in RBI (31), while Tanner Hodges is No. 2 in RBI (40) and No. 3 in triples (3).

RECORD BOOK: Four Coyotes have cracked the career record book so far during the 2012 season.  Izaac Garsez ranks among the Top-15 all-time in eight categories – No. 1 in triples (23), No. 5 in stolen bases (56), No. 8 in home runs (22) and runs scored (146), No. 10 in hits (191), No. 12 in at bats (541) and RBI (126), and No. 14 in doubles (33).  Chad Yeggy (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) is No. 4 all-time in appearances (68), ranking No. 10 in innings pitched (179.2) and No. 11 in wins (16).  Jarel Lewis is No. 13 in hit-by-pitches (28) and No. 15 in doubles (30), while Todd Griffiths (Meridian, Idaho / Lower Columbia CC) is No. 11 in saves (5).

GAME RECAP: C OF I 5, BRITISH COLUMBIA 4: Izaac Garsez went 3-for-4 and Tanner Hodges added four RBI as The C of I hung on for a 5-4 victory over British Columbia in Game 1 of a four-game NAIA West Grouping series at Wolfe Field.  The Coyotes broke a 4-4 tie in the seventh when Garsez hit a solo homer to right-center field, then hung on with two innings of shutout relief by Michael Garza (Othello, Wash. / Columbia Basin CC) and a scoreless ninth by Todd Griffiths to pick up the save.   The C of I jumped ahead 1-0 off a sacrifice fly by Hodges to score Garsez in the first inning, but that was short-lived as the Thunderbirds took the lead on a two-run second inning single by Sebastian Wong.   Trailing 3-1, Hodges evened the game at 3-3 as he cracked his first home run of the season over the right field wall in the fourth.   Both teams traded runs in the middle innings with Hodges scoring Griffiths with his second sacrifice fly of the day, and UBC hitter Blake Carruthers hitting a towering lead-off solo home run in left-center in the top of the sixth.  Starting pitchers Chad Yeggy and Bruce each gave up four runs on seven hits as they gutted through six innings in a no-decision on both sides. Griffiths and Jarel Lewis each had two hits in the win for the Yotes, with Carruthers going 2-for-3 for UBC.

GAME RECAP: C OF I 7, BRITISH COLUMBIA 3, C OF I 7, BRITISH COLUMBIA 6: Tanner Hodges lined a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 2, helping The C of I sweep a doubleheader from British Columbia, winning 7-3 and 7-6, at Wolfe Field.  The Yotes needed a pair of rallies to win the nightcap. Trailing 4-3 in the ninth, Jarel Lewis doubled home the tying run with one out to send the game to extra innings. After Sebastian Wong singled home two runs in the 11th to give No. 20 ranked UBC (17-9, 10-5) a two-run lead, the Coyotes responded. Nick Muncy (Caldwell, Idaho / Whitworth U.) walked and Riley Humberger (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) followed with a sharp single to right. An out later, Izaac Garsez singled home the duo to tie the score. After a walk to Lewis, Hodges ripped a base-hit through the drawn-in infield to end the marathon.  The C of I took a 3-0 lead in the third, taking advantage of a wild throw on a dropped third strike to Muncy to get a base runner. The Yotes would load the bases with two outs, with Hodges responding with a two-run single into right. Jesse Dodd (Eagle, Idaho / Loyola Marymount U.) singled home the third run of the inning. Zach Fabricius cruised through the first six innings, allowing just two hits, but a pair of walks to start the seventh hurt the lefty, as Jerod Bartnik lined a two-run triple into the right field corner to make it 3-2UBC would take the lead in the ninth off closer Todd Griffiths, as Blake Carruthers singled home Andrew Firth, who led the inning off with a double - with Carruthers scoring on a wild pitch to make it 4-3.  Griffiths got the win, going four innings, allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits. Lewis went 3-for-4, extending his hitting streak to 12 games, with Hodges driving in three with a 2-for-6 game. Game 1 saw the Yotes use a four-run third inning to take control of the contest. Garsez got The C of I on the board with an RBI single, Lewis followed with a two-run double, and Harris capped the frame with an RBI single. After UBC cut the lead to 4-2, the Yotes tacked on a Tyler Andazola (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) sacrifice fly in the sixth, with Dodd knocking home two with a seeing-eye single in the seventh.   It was enough for Joshua Orr (Port Townsend, Wash. / Lane CC), who tossed six-plus innings of solid ball - allowing just four hits and striking out five. Michael Garza picked up his second save, allowing just one hit and added four strikeouts. Harris had three hits in the win, with Dodd and Hodges each adding two.

GAME RECAP: BRITISH COLUMBIA 13, C OF I 5: A six-run eighth inning rally helped British Columbia salvage the final game of a four-game series, defeating The C of I, 13-5, at Wolfe Field.  Tied 5-5 heading into the frame, the Thunderbirds loaded the bases with one out, with a bases-loaded walk to Brody Hawkins giving UBC the lead for good. Pinch-hitter Gabe Mark followed with a two-run single, Matt Spillman tripled home a pair, and Andrew Firth singled home a run to make it 11-5.  The Yotes took an early 1-0 lead in the first on a Jarel Lewis sacrifice fly, but UBC used a four-run second to take the lead. The C of I would chip away at the lead, getting two back in the third on a Lewis single and a Tanner Hodges ground out, then manufacturing a run without a hit in the fourth to tie the game.  UBC took advantage of a two-out walk in the seventh to take the lead, 5-4, on a Firth single. However, the Yotes loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, drawing even as Tyler Andazola scored on a wild pitch.  Izaac Garsez went 2-for-4 in the loss for the Yotes, as starter Taylor Nicholson got a no-decision, going seven innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out four.

GAME RECAP: C OF I 11, NORTHWEST NAZARENE 4: Parker Vernon took a shutout into the sixth inning of his first collegiate start, as The C of I pounded out 16 hits en route to an 11-4 victory over Northwest Nazarene on Tuesday.  The left-hander was helped out by his defense, as the Yotes turned double plays with the bases loaded to end the second and fifth innings, while the Crusaders lined into a double play to end the fourth.  The C of I got on the board in the first, as Izaac Garsez reached on an error, scoring on a two-out Tanner Hodges single. After Jesse Dodd was hit by a pitch, Jeffrey Harris doubled into right-center, scoring the pair, to make it 3-0. An inning later, Jarel Lewis extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a run scoring single. In the fifth, the Coyotes broke the game wide open - thanks to a Hodges sacrifice fly, a two-run Tyler Andazola triple, a Zach Fabricius RBI single, and a Cameron Packham (Kuna, Idaho / Kuna HS) RBI double, pushing the lead to 9-0.  NNU cut into the lead - plating three runs in the sixth, two on a Fernando Robles double, with a Charlie Gorzo RBI double in the seventh getting the Crusaders within 9-4. The Yotes would cap the scoring in the seventh, getting two-out RBI singles from Todd Griffiths and Garsez - as all nine starters had at least one hit in the game.  Harris went 3-for-5 in the win for the Coyotes, with Garsez, Hodges, Andazola, Fabricius, and Packham each having two hits.

ABOUT THE COACH: The 2012 season marks the 25th year in The C of I baseball program for head coach Shawn Humberger, his 12th year as Coyote skipper. Last season, he led the squad to a 33-21 mark and advanced to the title game of the NAIA West Qualifying Tournament. During his tenure, Humberger has compiled a 388-249-1 record, including a third-place finish at the 2002 NAIA World Series and a trip to the 2010 NAIA National Tournament. He has been named CCC Coach of the Year on six different occasions (2002, 2005, 2006. 2007, 2008, and 2009), along with earning NAIA Region I Coach-of-the-Year and CCC Men's Coach-of-the-Year for all sports in 2002. A native of Twin Falls, Idaho, Humberger graduated from Twin Falls High, played for the College of Southern Idaho for two seasons, and played at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas for one year. In 1984, Humberger was part of the CSI national championship junior-college team. In addition, he was named to the 1985 Junior College All-America team. Humberger, a 1989 C of I graduate, also served as the facilities coordinator for the J.A. Albertson Activities Center for ten years, is a physical education instructor at the College, and coached Nampa's American Legion baseball program for eight seasons.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I baseball program, head to the official homepage of the Coyotes, http://www.collegeofidaho.edu/baseball.