TWIN FALLS - The College of Southern Idaho Baseball team bounced back to beat Colorado Northwestern 6-5 Friday after falling 5-1 in the weekend opener.
The Golden Eagles couldn't string any runs together in game one, finishing with six hits. The Spartans didn't either but were able score two earned runs in the third and that was all the cushion they would need.
CSI should have been out of the fifth but with two CNCC runners on, the Spartans hit a line-drive home run over the right field fence, all three runs unearned.
The Golden Eagles looked like they might score a couple in the sixth when Joey Rossi led off the inning with a single and Mason Hayes added a one-out double. But CSI went strikeout, ground out to end the inning without a run.
In Game two, CSI took an early 5-0 lead with a huge four-run first inning. Jake Boyd started the game off with a single. Rossi took first on a hit by pitch and then Quentin Marcelin singled to score Boyd. Hayes then knocked a 3-run homer over the fence for the 4-0 lead. The Golden Eagles added one run in the second.
Colorado Northwestern made the game interesting by scoring two runs in the fifth and one in the seventh.
CSI added one run in the bottom of the seventh to give the Golden Eagles the cushion it would need for the win. Boyd again was the catalyst, leading off the inning with a hit. Rossi walked before a Marcelin fly ball out to right field advanced Boyd to third. Hayes brought in what would eventually be the game-winning rbi with a ground out to first base.
CNCC added two runs in the eighth to pull within one run but could get no closer.
Boyd finished the game 4-for-4, while Hayes went 1-for-3 with 4 RBI.
Ryan Beard earned the win for CSI, pitching 5.0 innings and giving up just two earned runs on three hits with six strikeouts. Tyler Rojas earned the save.
CSI, now 14-7 overall and 1-5 in SWAC play, host Colorado again Saturday at noon and 2 p.m.