CALDWELL, Idaho –
Trystin Crofts tied a program record with her 216th career hit in the fourth inning of the second game as No. 23 College of Idaho swept a pair from Warner Pacific on Friday at Symms Field.
Serving as the road team for statistical purposes despite playing at their home field, the Yotes (34-14, 21-5 CCC) took the opener 10-2 over the Knights (19-22, 10-16 CCC). The second game was won 10-2 by C of I, giving the Yotes 21 conference wins for the first time in program history.
The top four spots in lineup for head coach
Al Mendiola tallied a combined 17 hits over the two games, scoring 18 runs and driving in 11.
In Game 1,
Kaily Christensen brought home the first run for the Yotes, scoring
Haley Loffer from third on a single to right.
The Knights responded with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first off the bat of Payton Hergert to go up 2-1.
Reliever
Katelyn Wilfert (13-4) entered the game with two outs in the first and was dominant from that point forward, working 6 1/3 scoreless innings and allowing just one hit while striking out five.
The 2-1 lead held for WPU until a pair of errors allowed Christensen to come in to score in the top of the fourth, evening things at 2-2.
With one out in the fifth, C of I turned four hits into three runs to jump on top by a 5-2 tally. Loffer sparked the offense with a one-out triple, followed by a
Kylie Smith double to right-center to plate her. Crofts then singled to right-center to score Smith. Christensen wrapped up the scoring for the inning with a double to center.
Already up 5-2, the Yotes extended the lead to 10-2 with five runs in the seventh.
Sydney Zachry and
Lauren Garman each had RBI singles in the inning.
Christensen went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs. Loffer, Crofts and Zachry each posted a pair of hits.
Keeping the bats hot, C of I immediately jumped all over Knights starter Abby Carlson (5-7) in the second game, starting right out of the chutes with a Loffer bunt base hit to lead off the first inning. Loffer would go on to steal second, with Smith working a walk. Crofts then scored Loffer with a single through the hole on the right side of the infield to make it 1-0. An RBI groundout by Christensen and a
Tanner Higgins base hit past the right side of the infield brought in two more.
In the bottom of the first, Macy Besuyen led off with a bunt base hit of her own to start the WPU threat. Later in the inning, Devinne Amesquita hit an RBI single down the right field line and Sarah Stanfill scored on a wild pitch.
Ahead 3-2, the Yotes kept the pressure on with three more runs in the second, highlighted by a Crofts triple to right-center and a Christensen double right after.
The triple by Crofts gave her 13 for her career, breaking the all-time program record.
With one out in the fourth, Smith reached on a base hit down the first base line. Crofts then connected on a single to center which was misplayed by Tatum Fell in the outfield, allowing Smith to come in all the way from first. Christensen then smacked another double down the left field line to make it 8-2.
Smith put an exclamation point on the day with a two-run homer in the sixth for her third of the season.
Trailing 10-2, the Knights scored a lone run in the bottom of the sixth on a Besuyen bases loaded walk.
Lexi Navarrete pitched a scoreless seventh to secure the win. Starter
Annie Polster (10-2) was credited with the victory in the circle, going 5 1/3 innings and yielding six hits and two walks while allowing just one earned run and striking out four.
Crofts was 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs. Loffer, Smith and Christensen once again added multi-hit efforts as well.
C of I can secure the No. 2 seed in the CCC Tournament with a win in the opener against the Knights on Saturday. The doubleheader is scheduled to get underway at 11 a.m.
