Nicole Illias Grand Slam Spurs Cavaliers to Split in Northwest Cup
PORTLAND, Ore. – In danger of dropping the final two games of the Northwest Cup, a Nicole Illias homer with the bases loaded powered Concordia to a 6-2 win over Puget Sound to give the Cavaliers a split for the day and for the tournament. In the early game, Pacific defeated CU 6-0.
With the results, Concordia moved to 3-2 on the season.
Tied at one with two outs already recorded in the fourth, the Cavaliers erupted for five runs, four coming off the bat of Illias, before holding on to the 6-3 win. For Illias, the swing brought her season RBI total to 10; exactly half of the team’s total through five games.
In the fifth, Puget Sound showed off their own ability at clutch hitting with a pair of singles and a walk with two outs to cut into the Cavalier lead. CU starter Janelle Cristifaro nixed the rally by inducing Noelle Vallecorsa into a groundout to end the inning. Cristifaro would roll the next two innings by preventing the ball to leave the infield to secure the CU win.
Aided by three errors by the Boxer defense, Concordia managed its six runs on just four hits.
In the first game of the day, an Alicia Hawes homer helped push Pacific to an early 3-0 lead in the second inning. The Boxers would add a pair of scored in the fourth and a solo run in the sixth for the 6-0 win.
Miranda McNealy allowed three hits in seven innings of work on the mound, striking out seven Cavalier batters for the shutout victory. Danielle Pulfrey took the loss for the Cavs, pitching six innings and allowing six runs and seven hits while striking out three.