CALDWELL, Idaho – Behind four-hit days from
Lacie Miller and
Trystin Crofts, The College of Idaho worked a split on Sunday against Carroll and Eastern Oregon to close out the weekend at Symms Field.
The Fighting Saints (1-3) held off a late rally from the Yotes (7-7) to win Game 1 by a 10-8 final, with C of I responding with a 9-3 defeat of the Mountaineers (3-7) in Game 2.
Carroll jumped on top first in the third inning by putting up a five-spot and sending 11 batters to the dish.
In the bottom half of the third, the Yotes fought right back with a four-run inning thanks to a two-RBI double for Crofts and a two-run triple down the line in right off the bat of Miller.
The Fighting Saints were not done yet offensively though, as the visitors would extend their lead out to 10-4 with three runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth.
A
Hattie Hruza RBI single, a
Kaily Christensen sacrifice fly and an
Aleah Mendiola two-run base hit brought C of I to within two runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, however Carroll pitcher Abby Hanley (1-1) was able to skirt out of the jam after a flyout off the bat of pinch hitter
Tanner Higgins, who represented the tying run.
Hannah McNerney (2-3) started for C of I and went 2 1/3 innings, yielding four hits and allowing five runs, three of which were earned.
Loryn Fonger was strong out of the bullpen, twirling three scoreless frames and allowing just two hits.
Miller, Crofts and Mendiola each posted identical stat lines with two hits and two RBI.
Looking to bounce back in the final game of the weekend, the Yotes faced an immediate deficit to start Game 2 against EOU, with the Mountaineers putting up three runs in the first inning.
C of I loaded the bases in the bottom half of the first for Miller, who hit a grounder towards the mound that Eastern starter Ashton Kazmierski (0-4) air-mailed over the catcher trying to force Crofts out at home. The error resulted in the bases remaining loaded as well as the first run of the game for the Yotes, who scored one more time later in the inning to make it 3-2.
From that point forward, it was all C of I, starting with freshman
Hannah Mikel scoring her first career run in the second.
Three more Yotes came across in the third on a
Kaylee MacDannald run-scoring bunt base hit, a
Mallory Copeland sacrifice fly and a
Micha Fortune double to right-center to plate Mikel for the second time on the night.
The Yotes picked up three insurance tallies in the sixth, highlighted by a
Makenna Luke two-run double the opposite way.
C of I starter
Katelyn Wilfert (3-3) earned the win, working five innings and allowing two hits and one earned run. Fonger received credit for her first save of the season, finishing off the Mountaineers with scoreless sixth and seventh innings.
In the win, Fortune went 3-for-5, while Crofts, Hruza and Miller each racked up two hits.
Kaily Christensen tied a school record by being hit by three pitches in the game, while Crofts stole four bases, which is just the third time in program history that has happened in a game.
Cascade Conference action is slated to begin for the Yotes next Friday and Saturday at home against Northwest. Fans can follow the action on the Yotes Digital Network.
