CALDWELL, Idaho – Outstanding pitching and plenty of offense were once again on display for The College of Idaho on Sunday as the Yotes swept Eastern Oregon to set a new program record with 13 straight wins.
C of I (19-7, 9-0 CCC) jumped out to a big lead early in Game 1 to come out on top 12-1 in five innings. Game 2 was locked in a 1-1 tie before a six-run third inning broke things open as the Yotes topped the Mountaineers (7-15, 4-5 CCC) by a final of 8-2.
The Yotes capitalized on some EOU miscues in the bottom of the first of the opener, scoring six runs on just two hits thanks to an error, a hit by pitch, three wild pitches and three walks.
Kylie Smith started the scoring with an RBI double to left.
Micha Fortune added an RBI double of her own to left-center later in the frame.
Not much slowed down the C of I bats in the early going, with three more runs coming around to score in the second. Smith was plated on a
Kaily Christensen double to the gap in left-center and Fortune tallied two more with a single to right.
Christensen also posted a two-run double in the third to make it 11-0.
EOU picked up a run in the fourth on a Jordan Henley double to score Haley Ebner.
In the bottom of the fourth, C of I answered with a
Lysette Villegas inside the park home run down the line in right which culminated the scoring.
Smith, Fortune and Christensen each contributed two hits in the opener, with Fortune and Christensen both finishing with three RBI.
Katelyn Wilfert (6-3) earned the win working four innings and allowing four hits and a run while striking out two.
Loryn Fonger pitched a scoreless fifth.
In the record-setting second game, the Yotes once again brought early offense, with Christensen connecting on a base hit to score Smith.
Eastern evened up the score in the top of the third before C of I would go on to post a six-run inning for the second time on the day in the bottom half.
In that bottom of the third,
Aleah Mendiola led off with a double to left followed by a Loffer single to right to bring her in. Smith and Christensen kept the offensive success going with back-to-back singles to load the bases for
Kaylee MacDannald, who was hit by a pitch. With the bases still loaded, Higgins was then hit by a pitch as well. Three more runs came across after the back-to-back hit by pitches, starting with a Fortune two-run single and ending with a double steal that brought in Higgins from third.
Loffer launched her fifth home run of the season - her third of the weekend - in the bottom of the sixth to round out the C of I scoring.
Loffer and Fortune led the offensive efforts for the Yotes in the win, both finishing 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI. Christensen and Smith each went 2-for-4 at the dish.
Hannah McNerney (8-3) picked up the win after going six strong and allowing just two hits and an unearned run while striking out four.
With a combined 20 runs across the two wins on Sunday, C of I moved into the top spot in the NAIA for offensive production with 213 runs scored this season in 26 games.
The Yotes remain at home next Friday and Saturday for a four-game set with Carroll.
