Walk-Off Winner Lifts Lady Yotes over Martin Methodist, 3-2

5/14/2009 9:27:38 PM

DECATUR, Ala. - Haley Butcher lined a walk-off RBI single to centerfield in the bottom of the eighth inning, as The College of Idaho upset No. 9 ranked Martin Methodist, 3-2, on the opening day of the 29th NAIA Women's World Series.

The Lady Yotes (33-17) move into a tie with Bethel (Ind.) atop the Pool H standings with the win, one of three lower seeds to win at Wilson Morgan Softball Complex.

Freshman Brittany Wenzel led off the decisive frame with a slap single and was moved to second on an Amy Rhoades sacrifice bunt.  Heather Dixon followed with a sharp single to left, putting runners on the corners.  After Jody Zillner struck out, the senior Butcher ripped the Sally Gale offering up the middle for the game-winner.

Zillner was the story in the circle, allowing just three hits and one earned run.  The Cascade Conference Pitcher of the Year did not walk a batter and struck out nine.

The Coyotes got on the board in the second, as Zillner led off with a double, then stole third, scoring when Redhawks (41-11) catcher Maria Robinson's throw went into the outfield.  The C of I would add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, as Butcher lined an RBI single to centerfield to make it 2-0.

However, the squad from Pulaski, Tenn., would not go away, as Brooke Kelley led off the seventh with a double, then scored when Butcher overthrew Dixon at first on a grounder.  Nikki Osborne followed with a run-scoring single to knot the score at 2-2.  The Yotes, however, got out of the inning on a nifty bang-bang double play on a failed sacrifice attempt.

Butcher went 3-for-4 and Zillner added a pair of hits in the win, the Coyotes second all-time victory at the World Series.  Gale walked three and struck out nine in the loss for the Redhawks.

The Lady Yotes return to action tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. (MDT) with a first-place showdown with Bethel - with the winner in position to claim the berth into next week's bracket play.