COLUMBUS, Ga. –
Hattie Hruza went 3-for-3 with a pair of home runs as College of Idaho topped No. 1 seed Southern Oregon 6-4 on Saturday night in the NAIA World Series at the South Commons Softball Complex.
The Yotes (44-17) jumped out in front 2-0 in the top of the second when Hruza lifted a two-run shot to center for her first blast of the game.
SOU (50-6) answered back with a solo run in the bottom half to cut the lead to 2-1.
In the third, the Raiders took the lead for the first time when Riley Donovan singled to left-center to score two and Tayler Walker hit a ball to left to plate another.
Trailing 4-2 in the fourth, Hruza entered the equation again, smacking a solo shot to the gap in left-center to bring the Yotes within a run at 4-3.
Reliever
Katelyn Wilfert (19-5) ensured the Raiders wouldn't put a crooked number on the board the rest of the way, spinning 4 1/3 innings of two-hit softball to earn the win.
With Wilfert in command in the circle, pinch hitter
Hannah Mikel made sure to do the rest in the fifth, with the freshman from Middleton stepping in to connect on a check-swing two-RBI single that just cleared the glove of SOU second baseman Hannah Shimek as part of a three-run frame. Hruza scored the other run in the inning by stealing home when
Micha Fortune swiped second.
"We knew SOU pitcher Gabby Sandoval was going to pitch up and away, and
Hannah Mikel has the type of swing that is basically perfect for the type of pitches that Gabby throws," said College of Idaho head coach
Al Mendiola. "I had a lot of confidence in her. When she came up, I told her that you've done this all year, you are a state champion in high school - and nobody knows you - but they will."
For Hruza, the sophomore center fielder finished 3-for-3 at the plate with the two home runs and a double on her way to scoring three runs and driving in three more.
"I got my barrel out in front of the zone quick and it kind of just helped me attack the ball faster," Hruza said. "It's unreal to hit two home runs in a game like this. I've never felt anything like it on a stage this big. It's so fun to do it on such a big game knowing that it means so much, especially when you know you have nothing to lose, so you kind of just throw it all out on the line."
Six additional members of the C of I lineup contributed one hit each.
By knocking off the Raiders, C of I ensured the best finish at the NAIA World Series in program history. In 2014, the team finished fifth.
The Yotes advance to play the winner of Oregon Tech and Madonna (Mich.) on Monday at 7 p.m. ET for a spot in the NAIA World Series final.
