CALDWELL, Idaho –
Destiny Turner hit a go-ahead 2-run homer in a 7-run fifth inning in Game 1 and
Trystin Crofts smashed a 3-run shot in Game 2, as the College of Idaho inched closer to a postseason berth with a doubleheader sweep of Northwest Christian at Symms Field.
Turner reached base in six of her seven at bats and Crofts drove in four runs in the 8-2 and 8-0 victories for the Lady Yotes (17-20, 13-10 CCC), as C of I pounded out 22 hits in the two wins.
The Coyotes took a 1-0 lead in the second inning of the early game as with two outs,
Kristin Paulazzo blooped an RBI off a pair of colliding NCU (4-32, 4-19) outfielders to plate
Colette Robert from second base. The Beacons used small ball to answer, as an infield single from Jessica Garner drove in the tying run in the fourth and an inning later, four infield singles, the last from Madi Novelli, brought in the go-ahead run.
The lead would not last, as C of I sent 11 batters to the plate in their fifth – as
Angelina Romero led off with a single and scored on a long Turner home run to right-center. The NCU defense would not help out – committing four errors in the frame, prolonging the inning – as Robert added an RBI single, Paulazzo lifted a sacrifice fly,
Rickey Kamimae lined a pinch-hit two-run single and Romero lined an RBI single to make it 8-2.
Robert made it stand up, striking out seven to earn her ninth win of 2017, while going 2-for-3 at the plate. Romero and Crofts each had two hits for C of I, while Garner went 3-for-3 in the loss for NCU.
Ashley Pesek dominated Game 2 for the Coyotes, as the right-hander tossed a complete game two-hit shutout, striking out four.
C of I broke a scoreless tie in the third, as Romero scored on a wild pitch and Turner scored on a
Katelyn Geyer RBI ground out. A
Courtney Ellis RBI single in the fourth made it 3-0, while an inning later, Kamimae delivered an RBI single ahead of a Crofts 3-run blast that broke the game open.
The Yotes ended the game in the sixth, as Turner lifted a sacrifice fly to score Ellis with the winning run.
Ellis was 3-for-4, with both Romero and Crofts going 2-for-3 for C of I.
The two teams will close out the series tomorrow with an 11 a.m. doubleheader. Between games, C of I will honor their seven senior student-athletes in an on-field ceremony.
