CALDWELL, Idaho –
Haley Loffer hit a walk-off infield single in the opener and
Nichole Giesy and
Lexi Navarrete combined on a two-hitter in the second game to lead The College of Idaho to a doubleheader sweep over Northwest on Saturday.
The Yotes (13-7, 6-3 CCC) took Game 1 by a score of 4-3 in eight innings and won Game 2 by a 10-2 tally in five innings.
C of I scored three runs in the bottom of the second in Game 1, plating a pair after
Micha Fortune put a ball in play down the first base line that was misplayed by Northwest (4-19, 2-7) first baseman Palena Gomes, bringing
Aleah Mendiola and
Lacie Miller in. Fortune then stole third and came in to score on a
Kylie Smith single down the left field line.
Starter
Hannah McNerney (5-2) held the Eagles to zeroes for the first five frames before Jessica Nunes hit a two-run shot with one out in the sixth, her third home run of the series. Northwest added another run later in the inning after an error in the field, evening the game up at 3-3.
Neither team would score again until extra innings.
With two outs in their half of the eighth, the Yotes brought in Fortune to pinch run at first base, with the speedy outfielder making the most of her opportunity by stealing both second and third base. Loffer then plated Fortune on an infield single to shortstop to give C of I the walk-off win.
Trystin Crofts was 4-for-4 in Game 1, with Smith and Miller each adding two hits. Fortune had three stolen bases and Crofts had two.
McNerney earned the win, working eight innings and allowing six hits while striking out five and walking three.
C of I took control of Game 2 early, with Mendiola blasting a two-run homer to left and
Hattie Hruza hitting a sacrifice fly to score Fortune to give the Yotes a 3-0 edge after an inning.
Leading 3-1 entering the bottom of the third, C of I sent 13 batters to the plate, scoring seven runs on six hits and an error. Northwest pitching issued four walks in the inning and also hit a batter. A Miller two-run single,
Mallory Copeland's run-scoring base hit and a Crofts RBI single to center highlighted the offensive productivity in the frame.
Giesy (2-0) earned the win on the mound for the Yotes, pitching three innings and allowing just one hit and an unearned run. Navarrete threw a strong final two innings, allowing only one hit and an unearned run herself.
The Yotes return to the road next weekend to play at Corban.
