EUGENE, Ore. – Senior Outfielder Cassie Bishop (pictured, above) continued to add to her historic career numbers on Saturday afternoon, crushing three home runs as the Beacons were swept by The College of Idaho, 10-3 and 11-6.
A big inning in each game did NCU in, sending the Beacons to a record of 9-21, 3-13 in the CCC. In game one, The Yotes scored eight runs in the fifth inning, after the Beacons had taken a 2-1 lead in the fourth on back-to-back homers from Bishop and Brooke Davis.
Nickayla Skinner (12-4) got the win for College of Idaho, allowing three runs over seven innings, striking out six Beacon batters. Jenna Royce (2-4) took the loss in relief for the Beacons, allowing five runs on five hits in 1.1 innings. Becca Lillegard had a solid start for NCU, allowing one run over the first three innings, with two strikeouts. Kalyssa Koontz closed out the game, allowing four unearned runs in 2.2 innings.
The C of I collected 14 hits as a team, including a school-record five-hit day from Kalie Kurdy (pictured, left), who went 5-for-5 with three RBI and two runs. Britney Croner and Kristen Haugen added two hits apiece.
Bishop went 3-for-3 in the game for NCU, adding a double. Gabby Stover hit 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot.
In the second game it was a seven-run sixth inning that broke open a 3-3 tie and sent the Yotes into sole possession of second place in the Cascade Collegiate Conference.
Croner (3-5) got the win for the Yotes, allowing four earned runs over 5.9 innings. C of I tied a school record with 16 hits in the game, including four from Haugen, who finished the day a combined 6-for-8 with three runs and two RBI. Skinner batted 3-for-4 with three RBI, hitting her fourth homer of the season.
Bishop hit home runs in consecutive at-bats, in the fourth and sixth innings. Ally Mittleider added her first career home run in the sixth, a solo shot. Stover once again had two hits for NCU, as did Megan Mazanec.
Davis (4-8) took the loss for the Beacons in the circle. The junior allowed ten earned runs on 15 hits, but had pitched well outside of the seven-run sixth inning.
For Bishop, her three-homer day gives her eight on the season and pushes her NCU record career total to 31. The senior, who already holds five career records for the Beacons, has now closed to within eight hits and two RBI of those prestigious records.
She will continue her assault on history on Friday when the Beacons travel to face Concordia in Portland at 2:00 pm.