Jody Zillner picked up two wins in sweep of Concordia
Lady Yotes Sweep Concordia, Run Win Streak to Eight
CALDWELL, Idaho - Jody Zillner held Concordia University to just three earned runs spanning two games and Heather Dixon hit a mammoth home run, as The College of Idaho softball team extended their win streak to eight games with 7-1 and 6-5 victories this afternoon at Symms Field.
With the wins, the Lady Yotes (28-15, 17-3 CCC) move three games ahead of second-place Southern Oregon with just four games remaining. The C of I also eliminated the third-place Cavaliers from post-season contention with the victories.
Game 1 got off to a rousing start for the hosts, as Dixon hit a Danielle Pulfrey pitch deep over the centerfield wall for her 14th home run of the season. The two-run shot was estimated at 300-feet. They would tack on an unearned run in the second, then chase Pulfrey, the CCC's leading pitcher, in the third. The Yotes got a run on a Kristen Haugen fielders choice, another on a CU error, closing the book with an Amy Rhoades RBI single to make it 6-0.
Zillner struck out eight in the complete game win, working around nine hits - four coming from former Coyote, Nicole Illias. The Cavs (25-9, 12-8) had their best opportunity in the fifth, loading the bases with no outs, but came up empty.
Game 2 saw the Cavs jump out quickly against starter Brooke Judy, getting a Samantha Daline two-run single in the first and an Illias RBI single in the second to lead 3-0. However, the Coyotes would storm back, taking advantage of three CU errors in the bottom of the second to plate four runs. The Cavs would tie the score in the third off of Zillner, who enter the game in relief, on a pinch hit RBI single by Tara Baglai.
The Yotes would notch the winning runs in the fifth off of Pulfrey, who also entered in relief - scoring one on a wild pitch, another on a double steal.
Zillner allowed seven hits, but picked up her 17th win of the season - as six different Coyotes recorded a hit. Illias and Daline each had two hits for Concordia.
The Lady Yotes close out their non-conference schedule on Tuesday, traveling to Nampa for a 3 p.m. doubleheader at Northwest Nazarene.