CALDWELL, Idaho –
Delaney Atkins ripped a bases-clearing triple into the left field corner, part of a 6-run fifth inning rally, helping the College of Idaho salvage a split of a doubleheader with Menlo College at Symms Field.
The Oaks (3-9) ended C of I's season opening win streak at eight with a 4-2 Game 1 win, but the Yotes used the big inning in Game 2 to grab an 8-6 victory.
GAME 1 – The top of the Menlo order recorded seven of their eight hits, with right-hander Sarah Reyes limiting the C of I (9-1) bats to just five hits.
Wendy Mouat got MC on the board with a sacrifice fly in the first, with Keeley Hernandez slugging a 2-run homer in the third to extend the lead to 3-0.
The Yotes manufactured a run in the third, as
Micha Fortune walked and eventually scored on a 2-out
Trystin Crofts single. Trailing 4-1, Crofts doubled and scored on a
Haley Loffer RBI single – but C of I could not muster any additional offense.
Both Atkins and Crofts each had two hits in the loss, with Lauren Harrison going 3-for-4 for Menlo.
GAME 2 – C of I batted around for six runs in the fifth inning to erase a 6-2 MC lead, earning the Saturday split.
The visitors scored three times in the second – as Makenna Weiler doubled home a run and two additional runs were plated on a two-out C of I error. The Coyotes cut the margin to 3-2 in the bottom of the inning on a long 2-run homer by Loffer, but the Oaks added two third inning runs and another in the fifth to take the 6-2 lead.
Things unraveled for the Oaks in the bottom of the fifth, as with one out,
Kylie Smith reached on an error, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on an infield single from
Emily Aspden.
Aleah Mendiola reached on a fielders' choice – as Aspden was caught in a rundown, but awarded third base due to obstruction. Crofts followed with a routine ground ball to short that was booted – with Aspden scoring to cut the margin to 6-3.
Brielle Stephens singled home a run, with Atkins giving C of I the lead with a liner into the corner in left – scoring all three runners.
Marissa Maddox capped the frame with an RBI double.
Raylene Cortes did the rest – coaxing a double play ball in the seventh – to earn her second win.
Maddox was 3-for-3 with Aspden adding two hits in the win, while Harrison had two hits for MC.
Tomorrow, Menlo and Willamette open the day with an 11 a.m. neutral site game, with C of I following with a pair of games vs. Menlo at 1 and 3 p.m.
