PHOENIX, Ariz. – College of Idaho rode a pair of home runs from
Trystin Crofts and eight strong innings from
Colette Robert in a doubleheader sweep of Arizona Christian to open the 2019 season at Rose Moffert Park.
The Yotes (2-0) rallied from a 3-0 first inning deficit to win the opener, 6-3, adding four runs in the late innings to break a 1-1 tie to win Game 2, 5-2.
GAME 1 – The Firestorm (0-2) jumped out to the early lead – as the first three batters reached, including a 3-run blast from Kylee Brown. However, Robert handcuffed ACU the rest of the way, allowing just four hits and two walks – striking out seven – to pick up the win.
C of I scored a run in every inning from the second on – getting a
Micha Fortune RBI ground out in the second, a
Delaney Atkins RBI double in the third and a
Bentli Corta RBI single in the fourth to pull even. Crofts gave the Yotes the lead for good with a long solo homer to left leading off the fifth, with a Fortune safety squeeze in the sixth and an Atkins RBI single in the seventh capping the scoring.
Crofts was 3-for-4 in the win, with Atkins adding two hits and two RBI.
GAME 2 – Four C of I pitchers worked out of trouble all afternoon – stranding 14 ACU runners – getting late run support for the victory.
Crofts singled with two outs in the first, stole second and scored on a Firestorm error, to give the visitors an early lead. ACU tied the score in the second on a Lani San Pedro sacrifice fly – but the Firestorm stranded the bases loaded in the second, fourth and sixth innings.
The Yotes took the lead in the sixth on a two-out
Kylie Smith RBI single – and after ACU got a run back in the bottom of the frame – Crofts crushed a solo homer to center to extend the margin to 4-2. Leading 5-2, ACU put two runners on with two outs, but Robert, struck out San Pedro to earn the save.
Smith and Crofts went 2-for-4 in the win – with freshman
Hannah McNerney earning the win in relief – allowing one hit and walking two in in an inning and two-thirds of work. Starter
Loryn Fonger fanned three in three-plus innings, with freshman
Reylene Cortes tossing a scoreless inning.
The Yotes travel to Surprise tomorrow for a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Ottawa University.
