SURPRISE, Ariz. – The College of Idaho used late heroics in both games on Friday to come away with a sweep of Ottawa University Arizona and Park University Gilbert at Willow Canyon High School.
Kylie Smith hit a two-RBI double with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to spark the Yotes (3-1) to a 4-3 come-from-behind win over OUAZ in Game 1, with Game 2 featuring an eight-run seventh inning to give C of I a 9-7 victory over Park.
Trailing 3-2 entering the seventh in Game 1,
Hannah McNerney singled up the middle to give the Yotes a leadoff baserunner. Head coach
Al Mendiola then went to the bench for the next two hitters, with
Lexi Navarrete striking out swinging and
Lauren Garman reaching on a base hit. With runners on first and third,
Haley Loffer popped out to third, bringing Smith up as the last chance for the visitors. Smith's double to left-center plated McNerney and Garman, giving C of I the lead for good.
Loryn Fonger (1-0) twirled two scoreless innings in relief to earn the win in Game 1. McNerney got the start and went five innings, scattering five hits and three walks while striking out three and allowing just three unearned runs.
Smith went 3-for-4 in the win with two RBI and a run scored.
Trystin Crofts and McNerney each went 2-for-3. Crofts hit a triple in the first inning to bring home Smith, going on to score herself on the play after a throwing error from Jorden Jefferson in the outfield.
C of I scored first in Game 2 on a Smith triple down the left-field line to score Loffer in the fifth inning.
Trailing 1-0, the Buccaneers tallied five runs on four hits and an error in the bottom half of the fifth to take a 5-1 lead.
Park held the 5-1 advantage until the top of the seventh when the Yotes jumped all over Buccaneers pitcher Gabby Vallee to the tune of eight runs on five hits, including a Crofts two-RBI single, a three-run homer off the bat of
Martha Tooley and a two-RBI double for
Aleah Mendiola.
The Buccaneers were resilient in the bottom half of the inning, plating two runs on three hits against McNerney.
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Brianna Hoffman (1-0) made her debut in relief for the Yotes and was credited with the win, allowing just two hits and no runs as she retired four key batters late. Vallee (0-2) was saddled with the loss.
Nichole Giesy started Game 2 for C of I and went 4 1/3 innings, allowing one hit and an unearned run while walking four and striking out a batter.
The No. 19 Yotes play No. 11 Hope International in a doubleheader on Saturday at Canyon View High School in Waddell in a battle of nationally ranked teams.
