LA GRANDE, Ore. – Eastern Oregon put a big damper on the playoff hopes of the College of Idaho, sweeping a doubleheader from the Yotes at Peggy Anderson Field.
The Mountaineers (15-22, 6-14) earned 3-1 and 10-2 victories – ending a 10-game losing streak to their I-84 rivals. The losses for the Lady Yotes (16-25, 7-12) drop C of I two full games out of the final postseason berth with just nine games remaining in the regular-season.
EOU struck first in Game 1, as Marisa Gonzalez smacked a two-run first inning home run – more than enough for starting pitcher Lindsay Walchli. The righty took a no-hitter into the fourth inning, finishing with a five-hitter, striking out six.
A third inning Samantha Scott RBI single extended the lead to 3-0, before the Yotes struck in the fourth on a two-out RBI single from Chelsea Szymanski. C of I threatened in the seventh, putting two runners on with one out, but Walchli used a strikeout and a ground out to close the game.
Shelby Baertsch had the lone multi-hit game for either team, as the EOU outfielder went 2-for-3.
Miscues plagued the Lady Yotes in Game 2, as seven walks, three wild pitches, three errors, and a pair of hit batters helped Eastern to a run-rule victory.
EOU chased C of I starter Julia Rambo in the second – scoring three runs without the benefit of a hit – as the Mounties tallied a run on a wild pitch and two others on bases loaded walks.
The Yotes cut the margin to 3-2 in the third on a Katie Rowe RBI single and an Alexis Macias sacrifice fly, but EOU got the runs back in the bottom of the inning, scoring a pair of unearned runs on two C of I errors.
The hosts put the game away in the fourth – scoring four runs – including a two-run homer from Gonzalez; and then won the game on a walk-off home run in the fifth by Cassie Wendt.
Gonzalez was 2-for-2 for Eastern, while Rowe and Destiny Campbell each had two hits for the Yotes.
C of I hits the road this weekend games at Concordia and Northwest.
