LA GRANDE, Ore. – No. 5 College of Idaho starting pitchers
Katelyn Wilfert and
Hannah McNerney each threw a shutout in a doubleheader sweep of Eastern Oregon on Tuesday afternoon. Wilfert pitched eight scoreless innings and recorded a season-high eight strikeouts as the Yotes came away with a 1-0 win in game one. McNerney followed up that effort with a three strikeout and seven scoreless inning effort in the nightcap as the Yotes posted a 3-0 win over the Mountaineers.
The two wins raises the record for College of Idaho to 28-6 overall and 13-3 in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, whereas Eastern Oregon falls to 21-10 overall and 10-4 in CCC play.
Game 1
The first game was decided by a solo home run in the top of the eighth by
Haley Loffer – her third of the season. Eastern Oregon, who is receiving votes in the NAIA National Poll, threatened in its half of the eighth as they got a pair of base runners on base. Wilfert ended the threat with her eighth strikeout to end the game.
Loffer and
Hattie Hruza each had two hits as the Yotes had five in the win. The Mountaineers were limited to just three hits.
Game 2
The nightcap saw College of Idaho end the scoreless contest in the fifth as
Lexi Navarrete started the inning off with a walk. She moved into scoring position on a
Makenna Luke sacrifice bunt. Then, after a ground out,
Hallie Holland brought in a hustling Navarrete from second for the first run of the contest.
C of I added two insurance runs in the seventh inning for the final margin. In the inning, Luke and Holland each reached on a single. With runners on second and third, a wild pitch plated Luke to put the visitors ahead 2-0. Then, with two out,
Kylie Smith singled to the gap in left center to plate the second run of the inning and put the Yotes ahead 3-0.
Again, the Mountaineers posted a threat in the bottom of the seventh as they had runners on first and second with two out before McNerney, like her teammate Wilfert in game one, got a strikeout to end the threat and the game.
The two hits by Holland paced an eight-hit attack for the Yotes. EOU was limited to four hits – two of which came off the bat of Kayla Berg.
Next, College of Idaho will welcome EOU to Caldwell for a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 5 at 2 p.m.
