ASHLAND, Ore. – No. 2 seed College of Idaho topped No. 5 Eastern Oregon and No. 6 Warner Pacific on Saturday in the Cascade Conference Tournament presented by U.S. Bank.
The Yotes (37-15, 22-5 CCC) knocked off the Mountaineers (16-32, 10-17 CCC) to start the day by a tally of 4-0 and eliminated the Knights (20-25, 10-17 CCC) with an 8-4 win in the Saturday finale.
Against EOU, C of I jumped on top early with a
Mallory Copeland single up the middle in the second inning to score
Hattie Hruza.
In the third, the Yotes used a
Trystin Crofts RBI single and a Hruza two-run triple to extend the lead out to 4-0, which would go on to be the final score.
Starter
Katelyn Wilfert (15-4) was outstanding, taking a no-hitter into the sixth and finishing with a complete game two-hit shutout.
Hruza rounded out a strong effort for the game with a 2-for-3 showing at the plate.
Lacie Miller also had two hits.
In the second game, Warner Pacific took a 1-0 lead in the third on a Devinne Amesquita double to right-center to plate Macy Besuyen.
Aleah Mendiola had the answer for the Yotes in the bottom half, singling to right to score
Micha Fortune. Crofts then singled to right-center to bring in two more, making it 3-1 C of I.
Reliever
Hannah McNerney (12-7) would work the rest of the way in the circle to receive credit for the win. The right-hander went 4 1/3 innings and allowed four hits, two earned runs and a walk while striking out three.
The Knights brought in an unearned run in the fifth to inch closer. Besuyen led off the frame with a bunt base hit followed by a sacrifice bunt in which Sarah Stanfill would reach on a throwing error by McNerney. With runners on first and third and no outs, Warner Pacific sent Stanfill from first. She would be retired in a rundown, with
Lacie Miller applying the tag. Besuyen scored from third on the play.
In the bottom half, the Yotes scored five runs on four hits and two errors to pull away, jumping in front 8-2.
Kaily Christensen connected on an RBI single as part of the frame.
Warner Pacific snuck closer with a pair of runs in the sixth, but that is as close as they would get.
Fortune and Mendiola each had a pair of hits in the win. Crofts had three RBI as part of a four RBI day that puts her at the top of the career leaderboard in program history with 142.
Looking ahead to Sunday, C of I will play No. 1 seed Southern Oregon at 11 a.m. PT to start the day. With a win, the Yotes play Oregon Tech in the championship at 1:30 p.m. PT. The if necessary game would follow 30 minutes after the completion of that contest.
