LA GRANDE, Ore. - The College of Idaho survived a pair of close calls this afternoon, grinding out 4-2 and 2-0 victories over I-84 rival Eastern Oregon this afternoon at Peggy Anderson Field.
The wins give the Lady Yotes (27-21, 13-11 CCC) a one-game lead on Southern Oregon for the final Cascade Conference Tournament berth heading into the final weekend of the season.
The C of I had plenty of chances in Game 1, as Mountaineers (12-27, 3-19) starter Alex Hillmick walked 10 batters - but the Lady Yotes went 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position and stranded 13 runners in the contest. EOU never had a runner reach third base in the game, but took a 2-0 lead in the sixth on a two-out Stephanie Maestretti home run.
The Mounties looked to have won the game in the seventh, as with runners at second and third and two outs, Hillmick got Katie Rowe to hit a routine ground ball to second, but Mariebeth Wantanabe's throw from one knee got past first-baseman Sarah Jackson, allowing the tying runs to score. An inning later, Paige Gabiola launched a two-run home run to give the Yotes the lead for good.
Nickayla Skinner picked up the victory, allowing just six hits and striking out 12 - with Gabiola and Alexis Macias each recording two hits.
Game 2 was dominated by freshman Cortni Pena, who handcuffed EOU in her fourth shutout victory of the season. Pena allowed just two singles, striking out five for her tenth win of 2013 - with just one runner reaching scoring position.
The contest was scoreless until the sixth, when Ashley Van Horne roped a two-run double to center field - providing the lone runs in the win. Hannah Johnson went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a run scored in the Yotes.
The C of I returns home to close out the regular-season, hosting Northwest University on Friday and Concordia University on Saturday.
