Yotes Drop Two Nailbiters with D-I Teams
BOISE, Idaho - The College of Idaho softball team could not play the role of giant killers for the second time this week, as the Lady Yotes dropped a pair of tough decisions to NCAA Division I programs - losing 4-3 to Boise State, and 5-3 to Idaho State, at the State of Idaho Tournament at Mountain Cove Field.
In the opener against the Broncos (9-7), the Yotes used a two-out, three-run rally in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead. Heather Dixon launched a solo homer, then after a Dani Villyard single, Haley Butcher followed with a two-run shot, to give The C of I a 3-2 lead.
However, the lead was short-lived, as Kathy Cox legged out an infield single, with Christin Capobianco slugging a two-run homer to give BSU the win over the NAIA school.
Kalie Kurdy had a pair of hits for the Coyotes (4-7), with Jody Zillner striking out a season-high eight - but saw her scoreless innings streak ended at 33 innings.
Game 2 was another donney-brook, as the Yotes forced the Bengals (5-10) to extra innings. The C of I took an early 1-0 lead in the third on a bases loaded walk by Stacy Smith, but Megan Miller answered with an RBI single in the fifth to tie the score.
Using the international tie-breaker in extra innings, ISU took the lead in the eighth on a Miller RBI single, but the Yotes would counter with an unearned run in the eighth to force another frame. Jennifer Martensen ripped an RBI double in the ninth to put the Bengals up 3-2, but a Kristen Haugen RBI single in the bottom of the inning tied it, with ISU needed a bang-bang play at the plate to send the game to the tenth.
Miller completed her monster game with a two-run homer in the 10th, with the Yotes going 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning, as ISU evened the season series with the Coyotes.
Miller went 3-for-4 with four RBI and Martensen added three hits for the Bengals, as Kandis Clesson tossed all ten innings for the win. Haugen had two hits for the Yotes, who saw Brooke Judy pitcher her best game of the season, going six and a third innings, allowing just one run on seven hits.
The Lady Yotes return to action on Friday afternoon, opening their home schedule with a 3 p.m. doubleheader against another D-I school, Utah Valley.