S. Idaho Pitchers Put Wraps On Nic

College of Southern Idaho baseball coach Jim Walker recognized last fall that developing basic fundamentals would be his biggest challenge with a young 1994-95 team.

And the Golden Eagles, who feature just six sophomores on a 23-man team, are beginning to respond.

CSI eased past North Idaho College 8-2 and 10-1 in a pair of Scenic West Athletic Conference games on a chilly Friday afternoon.

The Eagles improved to 6-2 in the SWAC North Division standings and 25-17 overall. NIC dropped to 3-5 and 13-15.

The teams meet again today at noon for one game. NIC will pitch right-handed sophomore Jason Bowles (3-2). Freshman left-hander Bryan Gallager (2-1) starts for CSI.

Both Walker and Cardinals coach Jack Bloxom emphasized the importance of pitch location on Friday.

“They’ve got to find out location is the key,” Walker said. “If you find location, you can beat these hitters.”

“We can not pitch any worse,” Bloxom lamented. “We made some mistakes defensively, but we just did not pitch it real well.

“Both (CSI) kids pitched very well. Both kept the ball down and didn’t walk anybody,” Bloxom added. “We didn’t play like we’re a decent ball team. You’ve got to hit the ball and the pitches have to work.”

The Eagles, winners in nine of their last 10 games, scattered 23 hits and left 23 runners on base against the Cardinals.

Sophomore Art Dillahay (8-2) picked up the win in the opener. The right-hander gave up six hits, struck out six and walked two before being relieved by freshman Rob Vael midway into the sixth inning. Vael yielded one hit and fanned four.

NIC used three pitchers with starter Steve Schorzman (4-3) taking the loss. CSI got four of its nine hits and four runs off Schorzman, who struck two out, but walked four and hit two.

Schorzman has been the Cardinals’ top pitcher. “He doesn’t have any command,” Bloxom said. “He throws pretty good stuff, and I keep thinking he’s going to get better. He threw high, high, high - everybody did.”

In the second game, freshman Brandon Duckworth (5-2) held NIC at bay. The right-hander went the distance in a six-hitter, with five strikeouts and one walk.

The Eagles spread 10 runs over the last five innings.

Freshman center fielder Clint Wyrick led CSI offensively, going 5-for-5 in the late game to highlight a 7-for-9 day.

The only scoring NIC got in the two games came via home runs. First baseman Jeff Danton blasted a tworun shot over the leff-field fence in the opener, and third baseman Ryan Tarasoff drilled a 370-foot homer over the center-field fence in the second game.

CSI 8-10, NIC 2-1

CSI 121 001 3 - 8 9 0

NIC 002 000 0 - 2 7 1

Dillahay, Vael (6) and Ornsby. Schorzman, Caponigro (3), Decelle (6) and Metz. W-Dillahay (8-2). S-Vael. L-Schorzman (4-3).

CSI-Wyrick 2, Highlands 2, Davis 2, Pezely, Duckworth, Hegstad. NIC-Danton, Metz 2, Mort, Martin, Bartell. HR-Danton, Davis.

CSI 002 212 3 - 10 14 1 NIC 000 010 0 - 1 6 3

Duckworth and Ornsby. Nelson, Ayers (5) and Metz. W-Duckworth (5-2). L-Nelson (2-4).

CSI-Wyrick 5, Highlands 2, Duckworth 2, Ornsby 2, Gonzales, Hegstad, Starbuck. NIC-Danton, Metz, Tarasoff, Collins, Bartell, Sandow. 2B-Gonzales, Hegstad, Duckworth, Highlands, Wyrick. HR-Tarasoff.

Spokane 14, Wenatchee 9

The Sasquatch scored four runs in the fourth inning and five more in the fifth to erase a 4-3 deficit and win going away at Spokane Falls.

The Community Colleges of Spokane improved to 7-1 in the NWAACC Eastern Region and 9-4 overall.

CCS left fielder Pat Fischer turned in a 2-for-4, three-RBI performance that included a tworun home run to lead a 16-hit attack.

Sasquatch starting pitcher James Kwong (2-1) went seven innings, surrendering four runs, to pick up the win.