CALDWELL, Idaho - Nickayla Skinner picked up a win and a save in the circle, while hitting a tiebreaking home run in Game 2, as The College of Idaho ran their win streak to nine games, sweeping a doubleheader from the University of British Columbia, 3-2 and 5-4, at Symms Field.
Skinner took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of Game 1, striking out seven T-Bird (5-17-1) batters at one stretch, picking up her sixth win of the season. The Yotes (15-3) broke a scoreless tie in the fourth, as Kristen Haugen lined an RBI single to score Skinner, who led off the inning with a walk. The hosts extended the lead to 3-0 in the fifth, as Skinner singled home a run, with Alexis Macias driving in another with a fielders’ choice.
Alana Westerhof broke up the no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the sixth, scoring on a Coyote throwing error. UBC would tack on a second run in the inning on a Jesslyn Hodge RBI single. The ‘Birds would have the go-ahead run at the plate in the seventh, but Skinner induced a pair of fly outs to end the game.
The right-hander allowed just two hits and fanned nine in the victory, as five different C of I players had one hit.
UBC took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning of Game 2 on a two-out Molly Gosnell single, but the Yotes responded with a three-run bottom half of the frame. Haugen tied the game with an RBI single through the left side, with Macias roping a two-run base hit into right.
The visitors’ tied the game in the fifth, as Carlyn Shimizu doubled in a run, scoring on a fielding error on a Hodge single. Skinner broke the tie in the bottom of the inning, launching the second pitch over the left field wall for a 4-3 lead. A pinch-hit RBI single from Jordan Huttash pushed the lead to 5-3.
The T-Birds rallied in the seventh, loading the bases with no-outs. Skinner was called from the pen, allowing a Gosnell sacrifice fly and a pop up to right, then fanning Lindsay McElroy to end the game.
Haugen went 4-for-4 with two runs scored, with Molly Mills and Macias each logging two hits. Macias picked up the win, going five innings, allowing six hits and three runs. Shimizu went 3-for-4 with three runs scored for UBC, with Hodge adding two hits.
The same two teams close out the weekend series with a doubleheader tomorrow at Noon.