CALDWELL, Idaho – Austin Van Horne hit a two-out, game-tying, three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, as Game 2 of a doubleheader between the College of Idaho and Montana State University Billings baseball teams was halted in progress Saturday evening at Wolfe Field.
 
The Yellowjackets (3-2) were in prime position to salvage a split after losing the opener 7-6 earlier Saturday, until Van Horne delivered the second monumental ninth-inning hit of the day for the Yotes. COI (6-8) won the opener on a walk-off sacrifice fly by Kole Lane.
 
The halted game, which is tied 12-12 after nine innings of play, will be completed on Sunday morning at 11 a.m., before the series finale which will follow immediately.
 
Game 1 – College of Idaho 7, MSU Billings 6
 
Kole Lane lifted a walk-off sacrifice fly to center field, as the Yotes took advantage of hitting in the bottom of the ninth and squeaked past the 'Jackets in the opener. MSUB scored four of its six runs in the game with two outs, constantly playing from behind in the game.
 
K.J. Strickland had a pair of strikeouts in 3.0 innings of relief, earning the win after giving up just two runs on four hits. Hunter Boyd Started and had five strikeouts against no walks in six full innings on the mound.
 
MSUB starter Tanner Cantwell battled to get through four full innings, allowing five runs – three earned – on two hits with five strikeouts and six walks. Tristan Shockley was solid in 4 1/3 relief innings, giving up two runs on three hits with three strikeouts and a pair of walks.
 
It was a sloppy game defensively on both sides, with six combined errors between the teams leading to four total unearned runs.
 
The Yellowjackets struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Kade Hall and Conner Linebarger started the afternoon off with back-to-back singles, and Jalen Garcia drove one in on a groundout before stealing second and scoring on a pair of COI errors.
 
An error by the 'Jackets and a pair of walks to start the bottom of the second set the table for the Yotes, and Ryan Murkle delivered a two-run single up the middle to even the score. Cantwell toughened up under pressure however, striking out the next three batters he faced to limit the damage and strand a pair of baserunners.
 
COI threatened to rally again in the bottom of the fourth, this time loading the bases with two outs. A wild pitch in a full count with the runners going allowed two runs to cross the plate, and a throwing error brought another across as the Yotes pulled ahead 5-2.
 
MSUB came back with a two-out rally of its own in the sixth, as reigning Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week Andrew Schleusner delivered a two-out, two-run double into the left-field corner to pull MSUB within a run down 5-4.
 
A run by COI in the bottom of the sixth didn't phase MSUB, as two-out, run-scoring hits by Garcia and Hayden Humphrey evened the score at 6-6 before the seventh-inning stretch.
 
Shockley found his groove late in the game, retiring the side in order in the seventh and eighth to set the 'Jackets up with a chance to win. Strickland did his job in the top of the ninth however, shutting down the 'Jackets in order to keep the score tied.
 
After going 2-for-4 at the plate, Adam Cox was brought in with runners on the corners and one out in the ninth. The senior got the out he was looking for off the bate of Lane, but the fly ball was too deep for Garcia to have a chance to nab the game-winning run at the plate.
 
Game 2 – MSU Billings 12, College of Idaho 12 (HALTED, TOP OF 10TH INNING)
 
THE BUZZ: Teter was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…MSUB is now 2-1 all-time against COI.
 
NEXT UP: The series wraps up on Sunday morning, with an 11 a.m. first pitch signaling the conclusion of Game 2 and a single 9-inning game to follow. Live video and live statistics will be available online here.