LA GRANDE, Ore. - The College of Idaho softball team dropped both ends of a road doubleheader to No. 1 Eastern Oregon on Saturday, falling 12-7 and 9-8, but secured its first Cascade Conference series victory of the season after a 2-0 showing on Friday.
In the opener, the Yotes (14-12, 3-6 CCC) wasted no time getting on the board, plating three runs in the first inning behind RBI from Lena Zahniser, Madelyn Powell and Hallie Campbell. Chloe Flerchinger added a solo home run in the second to extend the early lead.
Eastern Oregon (21-5, 9-3 CCC) answered with a powerful offensive display, totaling 20 hits and using a six-run fourth inning to take control. The Mountaineers launched four home runs across the middle innings to pull away.
Zahniser drove in three runs, including a two-run homer in the sixth, while Kate Crosby went 3-for-3 at the plate. Kamryn Ham scored three times, and Kina Watts added a hit and an RBI as the Yotes finished with 11 hits.
In game two, College of Idaho again built a lead, going up 5-2 after a fifth inning that featured home runs from Powell and Olivia Asumendi.
The Yotes extended the advantage to 8-4 in the sixth behind RBI from Watts, Haiylee Reeves and a sacrifice fly from Flerchinger.
Eastern Oregon rallied late, taking advantage of timely hitting and a pair of defensive miscues to tie the game in the sixth before pushing across the go-ahead run in the seventh.
Powell led the offense with a home run and a double, while Asumendi also went deep. Reeves and Audrey Sweet each added RBI in a balanced effort.
Despite the pair of losses Saturday, the Yotes secured the series win, their first in Cascade Conference play this season, after sweeping Friday's doubleheader against the top-ranked Mountaineers. The finale of the four-game set was played as a non-conference game.
