Zillner Fans 15 in C of I Sweep of Great Falls
CALDWELL, Idaho - Katie Zillner tossed six-hit shutout in the opener and The College of Idaho softball team used a five-run two-out rally in the sixth inning of Game 2 to complete a non-conference sweep of the University of Great Falls, winning 4-0 and 7-2 this afternoon at Symms Field.
The senior struck out 15 batters in the Game 1 win for the Lady Yotes (17-16) - stranding runners in scoring position in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to pick up her tenth win of the season. Zillner upped her career strikeout total to 499 in the victory.
The Yotes got all the runs they needed in the first - as Haley Butcher laced a two-run single through the left side and Kalie Kurdy had a run-scoring single into left field. Kurdy had two hits for The C of I, while Erica McAlmond went 2-for-2 for the Argonauts (11-14).
Game 2 saw the Coyotes ride a strong pitching performance from freshman Donnae Carrell and used the late inning rally to complete the sweep.
Carrell, who had tossed seven-plus innings of work, all in relief, coming into the day, allowed just one earned run in the complete game win.
UGF got on the board first, as McAlmond singled into center field in the opening frame, picking up Samantha Schultz, who had beat out an infield single earlier in the frame. Carrell would help her own cause, scoring on a passed ball in the bottom of the inning to knot the score at 1-1.
The Yotes would take a 2-1 lead in the third as Katy Luetke led off with a triple and scored on a Stephanie Stover single, but the Argos would tie it on a McAlmond sacrifice fly in the fifth.
With two outs in the sixth, the Lady Yotes would see eight-straight batters reach base against two UGF pitchers. Zillner blooped an opposite field single, with Stacy Smith being plunked by a pitch and Butcher walking. Pinch hitter Dani Villyard rapped a single through Schultz's glove a short to give the Yotes a 3-2 lead, with Kurdy walking with the sacks full to make it 4-2. Luetke added an RBI single and pinch hitter Caylin LePire laced a two-run single to cap the scoring.
Luetke had two hits for the Yotes, while Sonja Barone had a pair of safeties for the visitors from Montana.
The Lady Yotes close out the road portion of Cascade Conference play on Saturday afternoon, traveling to Northwest Christian for an 11 a.m. doubleheader.