College of Idaho Returns to Winning Ways with Doubleheader Sweep of Carroll

CALDWELL, Idaho – The College of Idaho won its 14^th and 15^th straight home game at Symms Field with a doubleheader sweep of Carroll College, winning game one by a 5-1 margin and the nightcap by a 3-2 score on Friday afternoon.

The 'Yotes started the doubleheader with a 5-1 win over the Saints. College of Idaho started the game, scoring four runs – three of which came in on a three-run home run by Kaily Christensen. The home run by Christensen was her third of the season and brought in Haley Loffer and Kylie Smith, who started the game with a walk and single to put runners on first and second to begin the bottom of the first.
 

The next two batters for College of Idaho pushed across a run when Hattie Hruza singled in an alert Tanner Higgins, who doubled to the gap in left-center field. Higgins came in to score when an errant relay throw by the Saints went to the backstop to score the fourth run of the inning. Hruza brought in Higgins for the fifth run of the game in the third inning on a double down the left field line.
 
An unearned run by the Saints in the sixth spoiled the shutout for College of Idaho starter Katelyn Wilfert, who raised her record to 8-2 with the complete game. Wilfert struck out four and allowed three hits in the winning effort. For C of I, in the win, Hruza had her first three hit game of the season and her team leading 11^th multi-hit game. For Christensen, it was her 10^th multi-RBI game of the season which leads the 'Yotes.
 
The nightcap saw Kylie Smith deliver a walk-off, bases loaded RBI single in the bottom of the seventh to lead College of Idaho to a 3-2 win.

College of Idaho had stranded chances at the go-ahead run in the fifth and sixth inning but was fueled by a strong defensive play in the top half of the seventh. With the game tied at two and one out, the Saints' Emma Hamilton tripled to the gap between right and center field that saw 'Yotes right fielder Lexi Navarette start a relay throw that went to second baseman Kylie Smith who made a throw to catcher Hallie Holland, who tagged out Kirsten Norris at home, who was trying to score from first on the play.
 
When C of I came to bat in its half of the seventh, Navarette doubled to center field to start the inning. She moved to third on a Makenna Luke single and a walk to Holland loaded the bases for the 'Yotes. After a strikeout, Smith delivered the game-winning hit for College of Idaho.
 
Earlier in the game, College of Idaho went ahead 2-0 in the second inning for an early lead. The Saints managed to tie the game in the fourth inning on a two-run home run by Norris. The game remained tie until the heroics by Smith and threats by College of Idaho in the fifth and sixth inning. 
 
For College of Idaho, Makenna Luke had two hits and an RBI to lead the 'Yotes in the win.

 
The two teams will wrap up the weekend series with an 11 a.m. doubleheader on Saturday at Symms Field.

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