Yotes Win Two Elimination Games at CCC Championships

ASHLAND, Ore. - The College of Idaho won a pair of elimination games on Day 2 of the Cascade Conference Softball Championships, presented by U.S. Bank, at University Field.

The Yotes (38-14), who established a new single-season record for victories, rallied to defeat Carroll College in eight innings, 4-1, before stopping No. 17-ranked Corban University, 4-2.

C of I will meet tenth-ranked Oregon Tech on Sunday at 11 a.m. (PT) with a berth in the CCC title game on the line, along with the second automatic bid to the NAIA National Championships Opening Round. The winner will meet regular-season champion, Southern Oregon in the championship game.

Hannah McNerney tossed six strong innings against Carroll (19-24), surrendering only a 2-out second inning RBI double by Megan McCormick, to give the Saints a 1-0 lead. C of I answered in the fourth, as Taylor Eakle plated Trystin Crofts with a ground out. 

The Yotes stranded a pair of runners in both the fifth and sixth innings, but came through in the eighth - as following consecutive walks to Delaney Atkins and Eakle, Aleah Mendiola slugged a 3-run home run over the center field wall to provide the winning margin.

Colette Robert earned the win, throwing two shutout innings of relief, with Mendiola finishing 2-for-4. Tianna Sell had three hits for Carroll, with pitcher Tess Eaton throwing 165 pitches in the loss.

Later in the day, Robert returned to the circle in a must-win situtation against Corban (36-14), throwing a complete-game 4-hitter against a potent offensive line-up.

She got all the run support needed in the third, as C of I plated three runs thanks to Warrior miscues. Haley Loffer scored on a Marissa Maddox fielders choice, with Kylie Smith scoring on the plate thanks to a wild throw. Later in the frame, Maddox trotted home after a back-pick attempt failed by the Corban defense.

C of I tacked on an insurance run in the fifth on an Eakle RBI double, her second of the game.

Corban cut the margin in half in the sixth on run scoring singles from Jessie Isham and Emily Burkuhl and had the tying run at the plate in both the sixth and seventh innings, but Robert shut the door for her 21st win.

SATURDAY'S RESULTS
Game 5 – (4) Corban 8, (6) British Columbia 2 (UBC eliminated)
Game 6 – (3) College of Idaho 4, (5) Carroll 1 (F/8) (Carroll eliminated)
Game 7 – (1) Southern Oregon 6, (2) Oregon Tech 0
Game 8 – (3) College of Idaho 4, (4) Corban 2 (Corban eliminated)
 
SUNDAY'S GAMES
Game 9 @ 11 a.m. – (2) Oregon Tech vs. (3) College of Idaho (loser eliminated)
Game 10 @ 1:30 p.m. – (1) Southern Oregon vs. Winner of Game 9 (championship)
Game 11 – Thirty minutes after completion of Game 10 (if necessary)