CALDWELL, Idaho - The College of Idaho softball team split its Cascade Conference doubleheader with Warner Pacific on Friday at Symms Field, dropping the opener 4-1 before responding with an 11-3 run-rule victory in game two.
The Yotes were limited offensively in game one, recording just three hits in the loss. Audrey Sweet, Kina Watts, and Madelyn Powell each collected a hit, with Powell adding a double for the lone extra-base knock.
College of Idaho scratched across its only run in the third inning when Sweet came around to score, but the Yotes were unable to generate additional offense. The Knights built their lead with two runs in the second and added insurance with single runs in the fourth and sixth innings. Despite chances late, the Yotes stranded multiple runners and could not close the gap.
The Yotes flipped the script in game two, erupting for 11 runs on 12 hits to secure the split.
College of Idaho jumped on the board early and never looked back. Lena Zahniser delivered an RBI single in the first inning, and Watts followed with a two-run single in the second to extend the lead. The Yotes added another run in the fourth to maintain control.
After Warner Pacific pushed a run across in the fifth, the Yotes broke the game open with a four-run inning. Chloe Flerchinger drove in a run with a single, Audrey Sweet added a sacrifice fly, and Alyssa Melendez and Watts each brought in runs as College of Idaho capitalized on defensive miscues to build an 8-1 advantage.
The Knights answered with a two-run home run in the sixth, but the Yotes responded immediately. Flerchinger added another RBI single, and Sweet capped the scoring with a two-run double to put the run rule into effect.
Watts led the way for the Yotes, earning the win in the circle while going a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate with three RBIs. Zahniser added two hits and two RBIs, while Flerchinger and Sweet each drove in multiple runs in the victory.
With the split, the Yotes move to 17-13 overall and 4-7 in Cascade Conference play as the series continues Saturday with the series win still on the line.
