CALDWELL, Idaho – The College of Idaho pulled off its fifth series sweep of the 2022 season with a pair of wins over Bushnell University, winning 10-3 (game 1) and 7-5 (game 2) on Saturday.
College of Idaho (32-8, 17-4 CCC) were able to pound out hit 19 hits in the two games, 10 in game one and nine more in the nightcap. Game one saw four-different Yotes –
Haley Loffer,
Hattie Hruza,
Hannah Mikel and
Sydney Zachry – record two hits with Mikel and Zach and
Makenna Luke pick up a pair of RBI in the win. Starting pitcher
Katelyn Wilfert picked up her second win of the weekend, allowing six hits and striking out four to raise her record to 11-3.
The nightcap saw Luke pick up two hits and two more RBI to lead a nine-hit effort.
Ambrie Jones raised her record to 4-0, allowing six hits and striking out three.
Hannah McNerney closed out her second-straight game, pitching the final three inning and striking out three for her fourth save.
Game 1
Bushnell went ahead with a solo home run in the top of the second before a six-run bottom half of the inning propelled the host Yotes to the win. Two of the runs came in on a two-RBI triple by Mikel to go along with a RBI single by Zachry sparked the C of I attack.
With a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the third, the Yotes added to their lead when they capitalized on some alert base running as
Lexi Navarrete stole home and an error by the Beacons that put College of Idaho ahead 8-1.
Bushnell plated a run each in the fourth and fifth and again, the Yotes had an answer with a run each in the bottom of the fifth and sixth. The run for College of Idaho in the fifth came in on a RBI single by Zachry and in the sixth on a RBI single by Luke for the final margin.
Game 2
The College of Idaho erased a 3-1 deficit with a four-run third inning en route to the 7-5 win in the nightcap. In the third, the Yotes picked up a RBI single by Wilfert and a double by Navarrete to go along with a two-run home run by
Makenna Luke. The two-run home run by Luke broke a 3-3 as it put College of Idaho ahead 5-3.
Bushnell managed to cut the deficit to 5-4 in the fourth inning but the Yotes answered with two on a two-RBI single by
Lauren Gordon that plated
Lysette Villegas and Wilfert to stretch the margin to 7-4. A solo home run by the Beacons in the top of the seventh provided the final margin.
Next, College of Idaho will travel to Vancouver, British Columbia to face the Thunderbirds. The series will get underway on Friday, April 15 at 2 p.m. (PST) with a doubleheader, followed by another doubleheader on Saturday, April 16 at 11 a.m. (PST).
