CALDWELL, Idaho – Ryan Kingma threw six strong innings and visiting Whitworth broke away in the ninth frame for a 7-1 non-conference baseball win on Saturday afternoon at the College of Idaho.

The Pirates improved to 2-1 while the Coyotes fell to 4-7.  The teams will complete the series with a single game on Sunday, beginning at 11:00 am (MST).

Cody Simmons got Whitworth on the scoreboard in the top of the first with an RBI single that drove in Nicholas Nerud.  C of I tied the game in the third with its only run off Kingma.  Carter Vierra had an RBI single.

Liam Fitzpatrick's RBI single in the fourth drove home Ben Wintringer and proved to be the game-winning run.

Both pitching staffs posted zeros over the next four innings.  Kingma went six innings and allowed one run on five hits to earn the victory.  Mathew Pulliam tossed the final three frames, allowing only one hit, to pick up the save.

Connor Root started for the Coyotes and allowed two runs on five hits in four innings to absorb the loss. 

Whitworth broke the game open with five runs in the top of the ninth.  The Bucs took advantage of some defensive lapses to score the first three runs, then Nerud capped the rally with a two-run single.

Nerud finished the game 3-6 with two RBIs and a run scored.  He was the only Pirate with more than one hit.